CRUSADER Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

crusader

noun

krü-ˈsā-dər

Definition of crusader

as in partisan

one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause a crusader for improved safety in coal mines

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of crusader The division is led by Harmeet Dhillon, a Californian and a conservative legal crusader, who made her name bringing legal challenges against many of the state’s institutions and once served as the chair of the San Francisco Republican Party. — Ben Wieder, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026 Willis, not surprisingly, is happy to be seen as an artistic crusader. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026 Saba masquerades like a CEF crusader whose mission is to eliminate any and every CEF discount. — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 The book is full of stories of villains, like the venomous heroin that took so many of Seattle’s crusaders as well as the music industry that never quite understood where Soundgarden belonged. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for crusader

Recent Examples of Synonyms for crusader

Noun

Harald paid tribute to the Norwegian partisans who had fought alongside the Soviets during World War II, helping to restore the memory of a segment of the population that had long been marginalized in the official narrative of the war.

— Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
This week’s Pollwatcher answers a reader’s question about how polls select respondents and highlights how partisans in one state have flipped on a Democratic senator.

— Scott Clement, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of partisan

Noun

Earlier this year, affiliates of al Qaeda and Islamic State both carried out attacks on the civilian airport and military airbase, contributing to initial suspicion that militants could have been behind the assault on the capital.

— Reuters, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Jihadi militants had on two occasions this year attacked the airport, a strategic hub that hosts a Nigerien air force base as well as the headquarters of the joint Niger-Burkina Faso-Mali military force.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of militant

Noun

Far-right conservative activist Laura Loomer swiftly took to social media to applaud Yiannopoulos’ arrest after years of public feuding between the two personalities.

— Safiyah Riddle, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Some Iranian Americans, particularly among anti-regime activists, welcomed US and Israeli strikes and saw them as a potential path toward ending the Islamic Republic’s rule.

— Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of activist

Noun

Coverage of the story dovetailed with a hail of memes and insinuations online that Crockett is a zealot or a pretend cowboy out of his depth.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Continue reading … POWER RECLAIMED — Congress moves to unshackle states from California's ‘climate zealots’.

— , FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of zealot

Noun

So are 44 of 50 state attorneys general, dozens of Indian tribes, consumer advocates, addiction experts, and an increasingly bipartisan contingent on Capitol Hill.

— Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Satish Thiagarjan, founder and CEO of Brysa, advocates using a scoring system rather than relying on instinct.

— Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of advocate

Browse Nearby Words

crusade

crusader

crusaders

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Crusader.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crusader. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of crusader

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes