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
Solar power shows a smaller partisan gap, with Democrats preferring solar around 20 percentage points more than Republicans. Dilnaz Hasim, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2025 The career professionals at the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, led by Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, refused, as Bove’s plan was a perversion of the government’s power to prosecute for partisan political ends. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
Just days prior, Julani’s forces massacred between 800 and 2,000 Alawite and Christian civilians during a brutal crackdown on anti-government partisans along the coast. Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Mar. 2025 Each member of the trio has its partisans, with preference usually coming down to where the car was first encountered, whether that be an early Gran Turismo game (the R32), Import Tuner magazine (R33), or FF4 (R34). Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
  • Schopper's store was allegedly selling two human skull fragments for $90, a human clavicle and scapula for $90, a human rib for $35, a human vertebrae for $35 and a partial human skull for $600, the affidavit said.
    Megan Forrester, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Karim, 29, says snail harvesting has proved to be profitable, beneficial and much in demand -- one of many Tunisians who say the mollusks are providing a partial solution to the nation's 40% youth unemployment rate.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • He was often ridiculed by contemporaries, including renowned adherents of the Nation of Islam such as Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, as being too actively focused on integration and too passively focused on Black empowerment, critiques of the Black political establishment that persist today.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Though the government's counter-offensive was able to largely contain the insurgency, footage surfaced of what appeared to be retaliatory attacks targeting the broader minority Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam whose adherents live mainly in the western coastal region.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Most Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will be unfamiliar with this nefarious dark alter ego of the mysterious crusader called Sentry, who is essentially Marvel Comics' psychotic version of DC Comics' Superman.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Now, those advisers are gone, replaced by Mr. Musk and a crew of far-right crusaders who are cheering him.
    Peter Baker, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
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
  • John Shine described to me a research trip to the hostile mountain environs of Tasmania, where snakes stay under cover except for the 20 or 30 warm days each year.
    Stephen S. Hall, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Union members shared other experiences and stories, including those of an increasingly hostile work environment for some.
    Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In lieu of discussions of who is best for the role artistically, the question becomes who will sell more tickets (Ivy has 3 million followers but TikTok influencers rally around Chloe) and create a less toxic workplace.
    Christian Lewis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • According to Rolling Stone, the singer’s public profile is one of the eight followers, as well as SZA, producer Michael Uzowuru, singer girlsweetvoiced and audio engineer Sean Matsukawa.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Sectarian clashes erupted in the central city of Nagpur last month, with hardline Hindu nationalists calling for the demolition of his tomb, which is about 400 kilometers away.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Musk continues to be one of the most consequential people in government, and Bannon and other nationalists continue to hold sway over a White House that is cracking down on immigrants.
    Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • State House districts are so distorted that GOP candidates won 45% of the total vote for the Illinois House of Representatives in 2024 and just 34% of the seats.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Over the years, the natural geography of the Hertz map became distorted as it was redesigned to present more information and make system transfers clearer.
    Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on partisan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!