crusader
noun
cru·sad·er
krü-ˈsā-dər 
plural crusaders
: one who engages in a crusade: such as
a
Crusader
: a person who participated in any of the military expeditions undertaken by Christian powers in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to win the Holy Land from the Muslims
This is religion as the Crusaders knew it: a battle to the death for souls that if not saved will be forever lost.—
Benjamin R. Barber
Benjamin R. BarberCleanliness improved during the Middle Ages—particularly after the Crusaders imported the Turkish bath.—Winifred Gallagher
Winifred GallagherThen the church was looted by the Christian crusaders from the West, who converted it for fifty-seven years to the Roman Catholic ritual.—Mario Salvadori
Mario Salvadori
b
: a person who makes an impassioned and sustained effort to bring about social or political change
human rights crusaders
an anti-government crusader
Black women lawyers early on were in the forefront of the civil rights struggle. Many women attorneys were crusaders for the poor and needy …—Rita E. Hauser
Rita E. HauserSynonyms
Examples of crusader in a Sentence
a crusader for improved safety in coal mines
Recent Examples on the Web
Miller leads a cohort of former officials and anti-immigrant MAGA crusaders who now better understand the levers of government.
—Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024
To make its new version of Cleo a crusader, the series has to make the Black community around her incredibly susceptible to superstition and immorality, and that’s a crummy bargain.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 July 2024
The former guerrilla turned climate crusader took office as President in 2022 promising to phase out fossil fuels, no small project for a nation where more than 50% of exports come from oil and coal.
—Justin Worland/bogotá, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
On their wedding night, Sigrid and Leif survive a wrath of terror from Thor (Pilou Asbæk), which sets them — and a crew of crusaders — on an against all odds and merciless mission for vengeance.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crusader 
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.
Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024
To make its new version of Cleo a crusader, the series has to make the Black community around her incredibly susceptible to superstition and immorality, and that’s a crummy bargain.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 July 2024
The former guerrilla turned climate crusader took office as President in 2022 promising to phase out fossil fuels, no small project for a nation where more than 50% of exports come from oil and coal.
—Justin Worland/bogotá, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
On their wedding night, Sigrid and Leif survive a wrath of terror from Thor (Pilou Asbæk), which sets them — and a crew of crusaders — on an against all odds and merciless mission for vengeance.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crusader
Dictionary Entries Near crusader
Cite this Entry
“Crusader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crusader. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share