ZEALOT Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

zealot

noun

ˈze-lət

Definition of zealot

as in partisan

one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause zealots on both sides of the issue resorted to name-calling and scare tactics

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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 zealot Traditional safety zealot Phil Koopman points out that the public would not accept a system that cuts fatalities by 80% but the remaining ones are all children. — Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Garrett says the new protocols acknowledge that academic institutions have the responsibility to take steps for the safety of their researchers and protect them from potentially dangerous interactions with conspiracy theorists and other reactionary zealots. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 12 June 2026 March 13, 2026 For Gen Z neophytes and hardcore fans overseas (South Asian and Nigerian Mike zealots apparently have a lot to say on the matter), the idea of MJ/Prince ever being a rivalry is laughable. — Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026 The drama takes place in a dystopian future where the American government has been overthrown by evangelical religious zealots. — Tanya Melendez, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for zealot

Recent Examples of Synonyms for zealot

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

Trump impeachment crusader scores upset in Oklahoma Senate race.

— , FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Andrew Sweetman, the Scottish marine biogeochemist who led the work, hadn’t made such claims, but he was still pilloried by fellow-scientists, and proponents of mining accused him of being an anti-mining crusader.

— James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of crusader

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

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zealot

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“Zealot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zealot. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of zealot

noun

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