terrorist
Americannoun
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a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.
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a person who terrorizes or frightens others.
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(formerly) a member of a political group in Russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror.
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an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of terrorist
First recorded in 1785–95; terror + -ist; compare French terroriste
Explanation
Someone who uses violence, mayhem, and destruction — or the threat of those things — to coerce people or countries into taking a certain action is a terrorist. A terrorist may be motivated by religious fervor, politics, or just plain old-fashioned greed. Terrorist has at its root the word "terror," which comes from the Latin word terrorem, meaning great fear. Great fear is exactly what terrorists hope to create so they can manipulate the situation to their benefit. The label terrorist is a subjective one. To the British, the American colonists who destroyed shiploads of tea in Boston Harbor in 1773 were terrorists. To colonists, they were patriots and heroes.
Vocabulary lists containing terrorist
President Obama's Speech to the Nation about Terrorism
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American Naturalization Test, List 3
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Fear and Loathing in Cleveland: Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech
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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.
Zeraati's employer, Iran International, had also been designated by the Iranian government as a "terrorist organisation", the jury heard.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
The LNA is capable of "protecting the borders from all attacks", he added, citing threats from "smugglers or terrorist groups currently moving through Mali, Niger and other countries in attempts to enter Libya".
From Barron's • May 17, 2026
Ofcom said this followed concerns from some organisations that they had flagged "multiple pieces" of suspected illegal hate and terrorist content to X, but were unclear whether the reports had been received or acted upon.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
The complaint underscores the rising threat of terrorist attacks plotted by overseas groups as the war in Iran continues.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
But a terrorist attack happens now; death by heart disease is some distant, quiet catastrophe.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
