far-right

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Holding or reflecting political views that are extremely nationalist or conservative and lie far outside mainstream politics.

   Grammar: Written with a hyphen before a noun: a far-right party. The noun is the far right, with no hyphen.

   Patterns

   • a far-right party
   • far-right ideas

   The far-right party gained seats in the election, which worried many voters.

   Police are investigating a far-right group suspected of planning attacks.

   Several newspapers criticized the far-right views of the candidate.

2. 2nounsingular

   The most extreme end of the political right, or the groups and people who hold such views.

   Grammar: Used with the and written as two words: the far right is growing in several countries.

   Patterns

   • the far right
   • a member of the far right

   Analysts warned about the rise of the far right across Europe.

   The far right often uses fear of immigration to win support.

Common combinations

far-right party

A far-right party won a seat in parliament for the first time.

far-right extremism

Authorities say far-right extremism is a growing threat.

far-right politician

The far-right politician was banned from entering the country.

rise of the far right

Historians compare today's debates with the rise of the far right in the 1930s.

far-right rhetoric

Far-right rhetoric about outsiders has grown louder online.

Synonyms and how they differ

extreme-right

Extreme-right is nearly identical but is more common in British and European writing.

ultranationalist

Ultranationalist describes only the belief that one nation is superior, while far-right can also include other extreme views.

radical right

Radical right is the academic term and often covers parties that are anti-immigration but not necessarily violent.

ultraconservative

Ultraconservative describes very traditional social views and does not necessarily mean extremist or nationalist.

Opposites

Word family

right-wing adjective

supporting conservative political views

rightist noun

a person who holds right-wing views

the right noun

the conservative side of politics

far left noun

the opposite end of the political spectrum

Commonly confused: far-right or right-wing?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “far-right”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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