extremism

[ ik-stree-miz-uhm ]

noun

1. a tendency or disposition to go to extremes or an instance of going to extremes, especially in political matters:

   leftist extremism; the extremism of the Nazis.

Word History and Origins

Origin of extremism¹

First recorded in 1860–65; extreme + -ism

Example Sentences

I wanted to understand why and, by extension, what it said about the rise and threat of American extremism as the world warms.

From Salon

Graham Macklin, a researcher at the Center for Research on Extremism at the University of Oslo, has written that what connects these far-right groups is the view that liberals are disconnected from “wild nature” — a Kaczynski term.

From Salon

A peaceful protester, Maria Kolesnikova was sentenced to 11 years for extremism and supposedly plotting to overthrow the government.

From BBC

An announcement last week stated that another group jailed for "extremism" would be pardoned.

From BBC

He has also condemned extremism, opposing jihadist groups like Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and has used all of his platforms to issue fatwas on various social and political issues, ranging from commercial transactions, social disputes over marriage and divorce, to the conduct of political violence.

From BBC

Related Words

• bigotry
• hatred
• intolerance
• zeal
• zealotry