extremist
extremist Lexical Profile
extremist Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who holds extreme political, religious, or ideological views and advocates for radical measures far outside mainstream societal consensus.
"Political analysts noted that negotiations often stall when extremists on either side refuse to compromise."
• adjective
Holding, advocating, or characterized by extreme political, religious, or ideological views that fall far outside mainstream norms.
"The platform updated its community guidelines to restrict the spread of extremist propaganda."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Extremist' carries a strongly negative connotation and is almost exclusively applied by outsiders to characterize views or actions as beyond acceptable moral or political norms; groups rarely use the term to describe themselves, often preferring 'radical' or 'activist'.
• Rhymes for extremist
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the mid-19th century from 'extreme' (from Latin 'extremus', meaning 'outermost' or 'utmost') plus the agent suffix '-ist', originally coined during debates preceding the American Civil War to describe uncompromising political factions.