partisan 1 of 2

Definition of partisannext

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
This was a rabid, partisan home-soil advantage that flat-out bullied the squad into surviving. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 That’s also why a new kind of leadership that can build bridges across what have been separate disciplines, separate sectors, and partisan divides is essential to our collective healing. Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
His lone goal delighted the Swiss partisans, who were banished to the second level of the stadium. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 June 2026 The mood this time was understandably less buoyant among the Knicks partisans. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
  • Instead, the moon will appear to take a bite from the sun, with the most significant partial views in Alaska, Atlantic Canada, and parts of New England.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Hassan said Salah underwent physiotherapy this week and an evaluation from the medical team before rejoining the team for a partial practice on Wednesday.
    Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • But the belief died hard, and photography spurred its adherents on.
    Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • Bridgers is a strict adherent to Attenborough’s Law.
    Walden Green, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • The country is also home to several minority groups that have clashed with regime forces in the past, including Kurdish militants, Arab and Baloch separatists, among others.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Since overthrowing the Assad dynasty and taking power in a lightning insurgency in December 2024, Syria’s new rulers have cracked down on militants from the extremist Islamic State group in an attempt to thwart attacks in and around the capital.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • The Iraqi prime minister at the time, Nuri al-Maliki, was a Shiite sectarian with close ties to Iran, and many of his fellow Shia thought he could be relied on to listen to Iran’s wishes and find a way to avoid clashing with an Iranian proxy militia.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • And until a Black commentator is held responsible for making openly hostile remarks about White people, nothing will change.
    Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • For example, in March, the crypto exchange Kraken put its multibillion‑dollar IPO on hold amid hostile market conditions, according to CoinDesk.
    Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • The mom of two shares videos and photos of her fashion creations and her daughters wearing them with over 29,000 TikTok followers.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • In 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, Quakers made a formal stance against slavery, prohibiting followers of the faith from engaging in the institution.
    Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • Willis, not surprisingly, is happy to be seen as an artistic crusader.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026
  • Saba masquerades like a CEF crusader whose mission is to eliminate any and every CEF discount.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • The group at the center of the feud, the UPA, was founded by nationalists loyal to Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan Bandera.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 June 2026
  • As the 1956 Suez Crisis helped crystallize an alliance between Arab nationalists and the Soviet Union, this anti-Zionist ideology took root in the Middle East.
    Adam Louis-Klein, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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