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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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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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
Tote bag fanatics are losing their minds over Lululemon's new release. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Jerseys have swarmed the fashion capitols, and not just for sports fanatics. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 30 July 2026
Adjective
Director Brian De Palma cemented our cultural awareness of Carrie with his 1976 classic, starring Sissy Spacek as the repressed Carrie White and Piper Laurie as her religious fanatic mother, Margaret. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026 In short, Iran has rational reasons for wanting a nuclear weapon that go far beyond the fanatical notion of destroying Israel and The Great Satan. — John M. Crisp, Mercury News, 25 June 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
  • Her daughter, who is an animal lover, has learned about marine creatures by scuba diving and going on submarine rides on their trips.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Overnight, the foundation became a staple among makeup artists and beauty lovers worldwide, thanks to its second-skin finish and lit-from-within glow.
    — Beth Sobol, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of lover
Noun
  • 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
  • This is what happens when the federal government becomes the plaything of a petty partisan gone mad.
    — Max Taves, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of partisan
Adjective
  • The combination of extreme heat and high demand for sites — which means not everyone can visit in the morning — is adding urgency to sun protection.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Phillips-Fein recently talked to CNN about how those ideals have eroded in recent years and why some working- class and poor people embrace the belief that extreme inequality is good for America.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of extreme
Noun
  • As fans continue to mourn Parton’s death, past interviews are resurfacing.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Announced just last week, fans are already in throes of excitement, with scores of late-night launch events lined up internationally.
    — Kyle MacNeill, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fan
Noun
  • Israel’s military said that Tuesday’s strike had targeted a meeting of four Hamas commanders and additional militants, including one who had participated in the 2023 attack.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Islamabad accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of harboring militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan — a charge Kabul denies.
    — ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • Christelle Dabos explores the radical possibilities of empathy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The century-old Hollywood Beach Resort, a 1925 landmark built by city founder Joseph Young, would be subject to the most radical skyline changes.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of radical
Noun
  • Haaland’s whole thing is to sort of explode out of nowhere to blow Valhalla-sized holes in the back of the net, a pattern that’s long been familiar to EPL enthusiasts.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • On the other hand, severe inflation could produce the same nominal milestone while bitcoin purchased far less than enthusiasts imagine.
    — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of enthusiast
Noun
  • Trump impeachment crusader scores upset in Oklahoma Senate race.
    — , FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Andrew Sweetman, the Scottish marine biogeochemist who led the work, hadn’t made such claims, but he was still pilloried by fellow-scientists, and proponents of mining accused him of being an anti-mining crusader.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of crusader

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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 29 Aug. 2026.

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