partisan 1 of 2

partisan

2 of 2

noun

variants also partizan
1
2
3
as in sectarian
one who stubbornly or intolerantly adheres to his or her own opinions and prejudices she's too much of a political partisan to ever concede that the other side might have a valid point

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word partisan different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of partisan are adherent, disciple, and follower. While all these words mean "one who gives full loyalty and support to another," partisan suggests a zealous often prejudiced attachment.

partisans of the President

When could adherent be used to replace partisan?

The synonyms adherent and partisan are sometimes interchangeable, but adherent suggests a close and persistent attachment.

adherents to Marxism

When might disciple be a better fit than partisan?

While the synonyms disciple and partisan are close in meaning, disciple implies a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master.

disciples of Gandhi

When can follower be used instead of partisan?

Although the words follower and partisan have much in common, follower may apply to people who attach themselves either to the person or beliefs of another.

an evangelist and his followers

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 partisan
Adjective
Between the lines: The overall numbers show low approval for Trump and DOGE, but there's a partisan split. Erica Pandey, Axios, 6 Mar. 2025 The Supreme Court found that Congress could impose for-cause removal protections for multi-member commissions of experts that are balanced along partisan lines and do not exercise any executive power. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
His partisans and his voters, in particular, say he's got the right amount of focus on matters like ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs and deporting those who are in the country illegally. Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2025 Podcasters, partisans, or anyone, really, can tell outrageous, incendiary lies about a candidate. Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
  • However, the less-than-truckload (LTL) provider won a partial victory in that battle in February, as Goldblatt ruled that the funds set the company’s withdrawal liability too high.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 11 Mar. 2025
  • However, before that, on March 29, a partial solar eclipse — the sister celestial event of the total lunar eclipse — will occur and be seen from North America (though only from northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada) and Europe.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But revolutions have a way of devouring some of their early and most eager adherents.
    Jackie Snow, Quartz, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The problem for many MAGA adherents, though, was accepting the very notion of immigrants telling them America needs more immigration to fill lucrative jobs in America.
    Zachary Basu, Axios, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • A number of fans seem to believe that the shift can be attributed to his portrayal of Gotham City's caped crusader in Matt Reeves' 2022 reboot of the DC character.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
  • Later, Christian crusaders built citadels along the coast that went on to be repurposed by Muslim Ottoman rulers.
    Daniele Hamamdjian, NBC News, 17 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • People want to get rid of religious parties, people want to put sectarians behind to build an Iraq for all Iraqis.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2015
  • Both sides insist the other initiated the initial volley of gunfire that killed four agents and six sectarians.
    Joshua Alston, Variety, 12 Apr. 2023
Adjective
  • The set-up has grown increasingly hostile over time, and became an impassible roadblock when the Lerner family tried to sell the Nationals back in 2022.
    Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Prince overcame the hostile environment and kept TCU afloat during the first quarter when the Horned Frogs struggled to find their footing offensively.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In the digital age, growing popularity translates to more Instagram followers — 853,000 for Shelton — and dreamy TikTok montages of him.
    Brendan Le, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Chatter among sneakerheads about the shoes not only vaulted Under Armour into fifth place, Curry announced in an Instagram story to his 58 million followers that the shoes would be rereleased in limited quantities in the days following the Academy Awards.
    Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Jane’s fiercely unforgiving tone was adopted by militant Irish nationalists for whom the famine stood as the ultimate proof of English perfidy.
    Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
  • American diplomats correctly estimated that the Indonesian nationalists could be counted on as allies in the Cold War and did not want the Netherlands to get in the way.
    Nicholas Mulder, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Guitarist John Watson and bassist Vic Byers traded taut vocals and swaggering, distorted riffs.
    Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
  • In his March 4 address to a joint session of Congress, Trump either distorted or outright lied about the facts on fraud (DOGE), immigration, aid to Ukraine, the economy, the construction of the Panama Canal, something about autism and more.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

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