ter·ror·ist
ˈter-ər-ist 
plural terrorists
: an advocate or practitioner of terrorism as a means of coercion
Opposition still runs high to the idea of releasing or bringing into U.S. prisons dozens of men widely considered dangerous terrorists even if many are not.
Less than three weeks before the Winter Olympics are set to begin in the Russian city of Sochi, police there have begun hunting for suspected terrorists allegedly plotting attacks.—
Time
Time
: or, relating to, or characteristic of terrorists or terrorism : practicing or involving violent acts of terror
a terrorist organization
The consequences of the U.S. response to the terrorist attacks of September 2001 will ramify for decades.—Joe Klein
Joe KleinThere is no margin for error when a real terrorist threat is present and the safety of the public, and the first responders, is in jeopardy.—Gary J. Laughlin
Gary J. LaughlinExamples of terrorist in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
As if by way of reply, a soldier called us terrorists.
—Emily Wilder, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
He is accused of participating in a conspiracy involving financial crimes and the provision of material support to terrorist activity — offenses that carry severe federal penalties.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorist
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Noun
One of the most sensitive vulnerabilities remains the network of detention facilities in northeastern Syria holding thousands of ISIS terrorists and supporters.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
As if by way of reply, a soldier called us terrorists.
—Emily Wilder, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
But the second phase — which entails the terrorist group's disarmament, the effective end of Hamas' rule and its replacement by a transitional governance entity — has not yet been implemented.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
He is accused of participating in a conspiracy involving financial crimes and the provision of material support to terrorist activity — offenses that carry severe federal penalties.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorist
Cite this Entry
“Terrorist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrorist. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
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