loyalist
noun
a person who is loyal; a supporter of the sovereign or of the existing government, especially in time of revolt.
loyalist
American
[loi-uh-list]
/ ˈlɔɪ ə lɪst /
noun
-
loyalists
plural
-
a person who is loyal; a supporter of the sovereign or of the existing government, especially in time of revolt.
-
(sometimes initial capital letter) a person who remained loyal to the British during the American Revolution; Tory.
-
(initial capital letter) an adherent of the republic during the Spanish Civil War, opposed to Franco.
Loyalist
1
British
/ ˈlɔɪəlɪst /
noun
-
(in Northern Ireland) any of the Protestants wishing to retain Ulster's link with Britain
-
(in North America) an American colonist who supported Britain during the War of American Independence
-
(in Canada) short for United Empire Loyalist
-
(during the Spanish Civil War) a supporter of the republican government
loyalist
2
British
/ ˈlɔɪəlɪst /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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Nouns
Etymology
Origin of loyalist
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How does loyalist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
In politics, a loyalist is someone who stays faithful to a party or government even during times of upheaval and revolt. During America's colonial era, loyalists supported British rule. Today in the U.K., someone who's described as a loyalist is typically a supporter of political union between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. This term is often used during times of upheaval in various countries, to talk about those who remain loyal to an established government. It's been used this way since at least the 17th century — but if your favorite childhood movie gets a terrible remake, feel free to say you're a loyalist to the original version.
Vocabulary lists containing loyalist
Chapter 5: The Spirit of Independence
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Chapter 5: The American Revolution, Lessons 1–2
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History 1 (Grade 8)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I have been a loyalist ever since,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Following a night of intense fighting in Niamey, Russia's Africa Corps helped Nigerien loyalist forces to regain control of Air Base 101 at Diori Hamani International Airport.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
After the elections, Min Aung Hlaing -- who led the coup as armed forces chief -- took over as civilian president, handing the office of military leader to staunch loyalist Ye Win Oo.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
He issued a no-bid contract to a company that botched the renovation, according to staunch Trump loyalist Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
To be a Swann loyalist, as Lawrence was, meant being prepared to pack one’s academic bags on short notice.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson also said "it's not loyalist paramilitary organisations" behind this week's disorder.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
Loyalist fury was compounded by what they considered to be an “unnatural” rebellion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026
Prior to his arrest he was described as an "interlocutor" working with the Loyalist Communities Council on transforming the UVF into a peaceful organisation.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2025
Carter had been co-chair of the Loyalist Democrats, a racially diverse group that won a credentials fight at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, unseating the all-white delegation by Mississippi’s governor, John Bell Williams.
From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2023
This did not affect the Locktons nor the rich Loyalist refugees who streamed into the city toting bags of gold.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
We were Seattle Seahawks fans, and we could usually find a few other loyalists in blue and green to cheer with us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Musk fans and Delta loyalists piled in, generating strings of comments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
A parallel panic is also engulfing the Pentagon, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his loyalists are scrambling to contain a massive internal leak.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026
Despite the chaos, some die-hard loyalists remain optimistic.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
He fled with boatloads of loyalists to the Yucatan Peninsula, promising to return.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
