as in patriots
one who shows excessive favoritism towards his or her country
a staunch nationalist who favored any policy that would give the country more power in the international arena
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Recent Examples of nationalists
From late Qing reformers inspired by Athenian citizenship to nationalists who draw on Plato to bolster China’s political ideology, Bartsch shows how supple ancient texts are in the hands of interpreters.
—
Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
For one, Pashtun nationalists will always have problems with a border that slices their heartland in two.
—Mihir Sharma, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
The protesters included secular left-wingers and nationalists as well as Islamists, but Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a fundamentalist cleric at that time exiled in France, emerged as the movement's undisputed figurehead.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 Mar. 2026
The real divide in Europe’s tech debate, then, is not between optimists and pessimists, or nationalists and globalists.
—Wolfgang Oels, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
His visit is the latest olive branch from Washington to a network of hard-line nationalists across Europe, with Vice President JD Vance shattering norms last year by meeting with leaders from Germany’s far-right AfD party.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Schwörer noted that in Spain or Portugal, the right-wing nationalists might defend the right to hunt and hold a bullfight.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
That title goes to the government of messianic zealots, Arab-hating nationalists and anti-modern ultra-Orthodox Israelis put together by Netanyahu to keep himself in power.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
Many Christian nationalists believe in erasing the boundaries between church and state, Andrew Whitehead, an associate professor of sociology at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, previously told USA TODAY.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
For one, Pashtun nationalists will always have problems with a border that slices their heartland in two.
—Mihir Sharma, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
The protesters included secular left-wingers and nationalists as well as Islamists, but Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a fundamentalist cleric at that time exiled in France, emerged as the movement's undisputed figurehead.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 Mar. 2026
The real divide in Europe’s tech debate, then, is not between optimists and pessimists, or nationalists and globalists.
—Wolfgang Oels, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
His visit is the latest olive branch from Washington to a network of hard-line nationalists across Europe, with Vice President JD Vance shattering norms last year by meeting with leaders from Germany’s far-right AfD party.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Schwörer noted that in Spain or Portugal, the right-wing nationalists might defend the right to hunt and hold a bullfight.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
That title goes to the government of messianic zealots, Arab-hating nationalists and anti-modern ultra-Orthodox Israelis put together by Netanyahu to keep himself in power.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
Many Christian nationalists believe in erasing the boundaries between church and state, Andrew Whitehead, an associate professor of sociology at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, previously told USA TODAY.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nationalists
Noun
-
The tools and strategies that are being used on good White protestors, undocumented children, transgender patriots, Democrats, and Republicans who fight against their party’s leader have been practiced on Black folks across American history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This peril is due to the fact that Americans, by and large, including many legislators, are misinformed about the alien question, while professional patriots exploit it to their strange ends.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sacco knows better than most that political chauvinists of all kinds can point to past moments of injury and humiliation to justify any current cruelty or authoritarian project—an especially powerful appeal when those historical injustices are real.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Trump has since purged both commissions of critics and appointed loyalists to take their places.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The hotel draws corporate execs, Four Seasons loyalists, celebs in town for the annual film fest, and locals frequenting the bar, restaurant, or spa.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nationalists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nationalists. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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