as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a firebrand who urged crowds to riot during the blackouts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of firebrand
What began as a harmless project took a turn when Ben Shapiro, the right-wing firebrand, made a reaction video to one of Uncle Pappy’s clips in June 2024, taking his comedic comments at face value.
—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 June 2026
Before releasing his own albums, Ulmer played electric guitar in free-jazz firebrand Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time touring ensemble.
—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
One of the Strikers’ newest members is Maryland firebrand Dragnutz.
—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
3 June 2026
Here’s the liberal firebrand who wants to shake up Sacramento.
—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 June 2026
Before releasing his own albums, Ulmer played electric guitar in free-jazz firebrand Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time touring ensemble.
—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
One of the Strikers’ newest members is Maryland firebrand Dragnutz.
—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
3 June 2026
Here’s the liberal firebrand who wants to shake up Sacramento.
—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firebrand
Noun
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Gillespie also has a reputation for melding music to movies, as seen in Cruella, his 2021 movie that cast Disney villainess Cruella de Vil as a punk rock rebel in London’s fashion scene.
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The winner is the daughter of the late Alberto Fujimori, the former president whose government in the 1990s defeated the Shining Path extremist rebel group but also took an authoritarian turn.
Noun
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Videos showed police beating back agitators with batons and deploying anti-riot ordnance as the demonstrators chanted against the country's conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in a massive political rally.
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White attributed most of the hateful comments to online agitators rather than true WNBA or Indiana Fever fans.
Noun
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Stream-access proponents took a similar approach in 2010, after a landowner on the Taylor River strung cables from bank to bank to keep a rafting company from floating down.
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There isn't time for proponents to get a new measure on this year's ballot and state law requires any measures brought in odd years be limited to questions related to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).
Noun
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The Constitution was crafted out of fear — fear of concentrated power, factional dominance, corruption, demagogues, unchecked executives, and the use of public office for personal gain.
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But those standards can be easily stretched by demagogues, and a simple majority on the committee is enough to ban a party, though a panel of nine Supreme Court justices can overturn the decision on appeal.
Noun
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To his supporters, Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the steadfast, fearless leader who transcended mere politics and inspired devotion.
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Hundreds of supporters gathered to cheer her arrival after nearly a month and a half at sea.
Noun
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As genetics, psychology, and neuroscience ascended, the twentieth century sent physiognomy back into disrepute, and today, from Lavater to Lombroso, its promoters may seem a racist shade of quaint.
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During The Huns’ audition at the Cellar, Nugent was standing next to club owner/promoter Paul Sampson, who was skeptical of the group’s Catholic schoolboy looks — braces, short haircuts and all.
Noun
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Gray is endorsed by Kansas City’s branch of the Democratic Socialists of America, and represents the insurgent left flank of the Democratic Party in the race.
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Out went what was left of country-club Republicanism; in came the Fifth Avenue insurgent and his MAGA hordes.
Noun
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The Onion is pressing ahead with its takeover of InfoWars, the conspiracy-laden media empire formerly owned by far-right provocateur Alex Jones.
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The height of her popularity came during her 12-year relationship with French provocateur Serge Gainsbourg.
Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firebrand. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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