PARTISAN Synonyms: 178 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

partisan 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of partisan

as in partial

inclined to favor one side over another a shamelessly partisan reporter covering the primary campaign

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

partisan

2 of 2

noun

ˈpär-tə-zən

variants also partizan

as in adherent

one who follows the opinions or teachings of another partisans of the charismatic leader refuse to tolerate any criticism of him at all

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in militant

one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause a partisan of the revolution who was even willing to give her life for it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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

There is a balancing act each candidate must perform because partisan politics don't land well in Washington's 3rd District. — Saige Miller, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 Legislation to require partisan judicial elections passed the Senate but failed in the House. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Noun

This week’s Pollwatcher answers a reader’s question about how polls select respondents and highlights how partisans in one state have flipped on a Democratic senator. — Scott Clement, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026 As a result, partisans of the political left and right routinely use allegations of plagiarism to vilify their ideological adversaries. — Roger J. Kreuz, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for partisan

Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan

Adjective

Their role becomes clear at 21-, 36- and 52-Across, where the clues solve to partial entries, which can be completed only by using the entry spaces of those dash clues.

— Sam Corbin, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Other partial successes include NATO’s intervention in Kosovo in 1999, in which a 78-day air campaign led Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his forces.

— Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of partial

Noun

And what's wild is that the Coke drinking habit has another notable adherent.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Since the administration kicked off its anti-AI doomerism social media campaign, taking particular aim at EA and its adherents’ belief that AI carries a high risk of ending humanity—anti-AI sentiment seems to have grown.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of adherent

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

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
Both sides insist the other initiated the initial volley of gunfire that killed four agents and six sectarians.

— Joshua Alston, Variety, 12 Apr. 2023

Definition of sectarian

Adjective

That night, Lee goes to Ginger’s house to tell her what happened — about his hostile showdown with the rupidoop, about Brawny Dude With the Butter Candies checking out Lee’s van in the Boontill parking lot.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
The trip to Leeds is another daunting assignment for United in what is usually a hostile atmosphere.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of hostile

Noun

First was comic and content creator, George Brett Olson, who did a breakdown (watch it below) accusing an AI Instagram account with 300,000 followers of seemingly ripped off his joke word for word.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Other followers focused on the actress's return to television.

— Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of follower

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

Noun

While many Hindus worship Rama, Sita and Hanuman as deities, Hindu nationalists have also presented Rama as a historical figure – the legendary ruler of the ancient kingdom of Ayodhya.

— Sohini Sarah Pillai, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
As Haitians on both sides of the island took sides, Dominican authorities demanded an apology, nationalists denounced the statement as an affront to Dominican sovereignty, and Haiti’s foreign ministry distanced the government from it.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of nationalist

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parti pris

partisan

partisans

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“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of partisan

adjective

noun

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Top 10 Words of the '00s

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on partisan

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Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes