Meaning & use

extremist

noun·Advanced

A person who holds or promotes extreme political, religious, or social views, often supporting drastic action.

See it in a sentence

The government cracked down on a small group of extremists planning violent protests.

Moderate voices in the party grew frustrated with the influence of extremists.

A note on using this word

'Extremist' is a loaded, often negative term; the same person might be called an 'activist' or 'radical' depending on the speaker's viewpoint.

Words with a similar meaning

radicalzealot

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

moderate

Another way to use it

2. adjective

Holding or characterized by views that go far beyond what is considered moderate or mainstream.

The article warned about the rise of extremist rhetoric on social media.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “extremist”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.