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terrorist

American  
[ter-er-ist] / ˈtɛr ər ɪst /

noun

  1. a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.

  2. a person who terrorizes or frightens others.

  3. (formerly) a member of a political group in Russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror.

  4. an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of terrorism or terrorists.

    terrorist tactics.
terrorist British  
/ ˈtɛrərɪst /

noun

    1. a person who employs terror or terrorism, esp as a political weapon

    2. ( as modifier )

      terrorist tactics
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • terroristic adjective

Etymology

Origin of terrorist

First recorded in 1785–95; terror + -ist; compare French terroriste

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.

Lawyers representing another of the minors declined to comment, while lawyers for a third said their client had "excellent school results" and there was "no element indicating a terrorist intention".

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

The United States added Lebanon-based Hezbollah to its list of designated foreign terrorist organizations in 1997.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

During his defense, Kassis claimed that he didn’t know he was dealing with a terrorist organization, largely because he doesn’t speak Spanish.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Police believe he was working alone and not with an overseas terrorist group or foreign government.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Q: Has any terrorist group taken credit for the bombing?

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

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.