partisan 1 of 2

partisan

2 of 2

noun

variants also partizan
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2
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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
Each vacancy has shifted the partisan balance at the Capitol. Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 27 July 2025 The full Arkansas congressional delegation backed the measure, which passed largely along partisan lines. Arkansas Online, 27 July 2025
Noun
Such actions can create the impression that the military is currently serving partisan, not national, interests. Time, 1 July 2025 Today's politics is more polarized and hyper partisan. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
  • Ford is counting on offering a variety of powertrain choices such as extended range electric vehicles, partial zero emissions vehicles and a full range of hybrids across its lineup, to win over consumers, according to Farley.
    Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 2 Aug. 2025
  • With about 70 million people enrolled in Medicaid and 65 million in Medicare, even partial expansion could affect a significant share of the population.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • In 2018, a San Diego Superior Court civil jury awarded one of his former adherents — a cancer patient who has since died — a $105 million verdict against him, although an appeals court later knocked the award down to a fraction of that amount.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2025
  • Outlawing both not only sparks a political crisis, but could also serve to radicalize adherents who feel they are left with no political home.
    Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Today, taxes on wealth, as opposed to income, form the core of anti-billionaire crusaders’ plans to eliminate the largest fortunes.
    Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • Anti-pornography crusaders are on a winning streak.
    Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 22 June 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
  • In early October 2022, the ruling said, McCarty filed a hostile work environment complaint with the police department.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2025
  • Five days later, on July 8, an attorney for the city manager submitted a letter of potential claim against the city citing defamation, harassment and creation of a hostile work environment.
    Anita Edmondson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Published in the Journal of Business Research, a new study suggests that followers respond to influencers’ use of sexuality more favorably than to brands who employ the same tactics with models.
    Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
  • There was support from social media influencers with Evan Tanaka (327K followers) creating his own commercial: Snapple launched packaging inspired by each of the heroes.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 30 July 2025
Noun
  • Public education, one of the cornerstones of democracy, is itself on the line, as religious nationalists support the diversion of taxpayer funds to provide vouchers for religious schools.
    Randall Balmer, Twin Cities, 23 July 2025
  • As denialism spreads, Serb nationalists have grown more defiant.
    David Rohde, NBC news, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • As a result, the protective force field scientists call the magnetosphere became distorted and leaky.
    Raven Garvey, Space.com, 24 July 2025
  • Neither their rangers nor their exhibits should be intimidated into parroting a sanitized and distorted version of the nation’s past.
    John Lawrence, Twin Cities, 18 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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