fanatic 1 of 2

noun

fə-ˈna-tik How to pronounce fanatic (audio)
Definition of fanaticnext
1
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something football fanatics are pretty much booked up for weekends from Labor Day to Super Bowl Sunday

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in partisan
one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause once he joined the movement, he became a fanatic

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fanatic

2 of 2

adjective

fə-ˈna-ti-kəl How to pronounce fanatic (audio)
variants or fanatical
as in extreme
being very far from the center of public opinion because of her fanatical views, her friends know better than to try to discuss the issues with her

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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 fanatic
Noun
Fellow OutKick writer and hockey fanatic Matt Reigle even asked me if there were any electrical substations located near Amarant Bank Arena. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 But the more productive expansion has to do with character, especially as regards Carrie and her mother, who is not the deranged, abusive religious fanatic of previous versions, but an essentially loving parent frightened of the modern world. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, is a figure of quietly fanatical secularism and non-ghost-ism. — James Parker, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 There is a fanatical element among those who want to ban horse carriages. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fanatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fanatic
  1. lover
  2. partisan
  3. extreme
  4. fan
  5. militant
  6. radical
  7. enthusiast
  8. crusader
Noun
  • Art lovers will appreciate the prewar proportions of this Park Avenue duplex.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Cowritten by the band and Brian Eno, the track explores a relationship between lovers struggling to maintain their faith in each other.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of lover
Noun
  • In such seats, the primary becomes the real election, a dynamic that tends to favor the coronation of extremely polarizing nominees since, typically, that electorate is composed of committed partisans.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Republicans at the hearing sought to portray Smith as a partisan who abused his authority to target Republicans.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of partisan
Adjective
  • The government is widely regarded as the most extreme Israel has ever had.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Teymouri filed a motion last week seeking to have the couple held on $100 million bail, citing their extreme wealth.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of extreme
Noun
  • Upgrading to the Thrust Variant requires a $245,000 follow-up payment and adds SpaceX cold-gas rear thrusters alongside an active multi-mode fan system for downforce, cutting acceleration down to under a second.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Many fans sympathized with Clarkson’s shopping experience and took to social media to denounce the actions taken by the shop.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of fan
Noun
  • Israel’s military agency blamed local merchants’ dispute with Hamas militants over truck fees, but Gaza’s truckers union says Israel imposed the restrictions.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Palestinians fled the camp in 2025 as the Israeli military carried out a widespread crackdown against West Bank militants.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • There are decisions like that which might seem quite radical but can take the show somewhere different.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Banned from campus, the radical academic now faces federal charges.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of radical
Noun
  • This simultaneously makes this XPS the slickest and most portable of the Googlebook launch lineup and a tough sell for anyone who isn't an Android enthusiast or app developer.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Young enthusiasts, families and people who appreciate automotive design can find something to enjoy.
    — Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of enthusiast
Noun
  • What happened to the committed father, community pillar, and righteous crusader who saved the day in Season 1?
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In the last couple of decades, the social justice crusader worked with Angelenos to develop their own voices through writing workshops.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of crusader

Browse Nearby Words

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fanatic
fanatically
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Cite this Entry

“Fanatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanatic. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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