fanatic

[ fuh-nat-ik ]

noun

1. a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics.

   Synonyms: militant, hothead, bigot, zealot, enthusiast

adjective

1. fanatical.

fanatic

/ fəˈnætɪk /

noun

1. a person whose enthusiasm or zeal for something is extreme or beyond normal limits
2. informal.
   a person devoted to a particular hobby or pastime; fan

   a jazz fanatic

adjective

1. a variant of fanatical

Other Words From

• nonfa·natic noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fanatic¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin fānāticus “pertaining to a temple, inspired by a divinity, frantic,” equivalent to fānum “temple” + -āticus, equivalent to -āt(us) -ate ¹ + -icus -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of fanatic¹

C16: from Latin fānāticus belonging to a temple, hence, inspired by a god, frenzied, from fānum temple

Synonym Study

Fanatic, zealot, militant, devotee refer to persons showing more than ordinary support for, adherence to, or interest in a cause, point of view, or activity. Fanatic and zealot both suggest excessive or overweening devotion to a cause or belief. Fanatic further implies unbalanced or obsessive behavior: a wild-eyed fanatic. Zealot, only slightly less unfavorable in implication than fanatic, implies single-minded partisanship: a tireless zealot for tax reform. Militant stresses vigorous, aggressive support for or opposition to a plan or ideal and suggests a combative stance. Devotee is a milder term than any of the foregoing, suggesting enthusiasm but not to the exclusion of other interests or possible points of view: a jazz devotee.

Example Sentences

He's a fanatic who tried as a congressman to pass a “vaccine safety bill” in 2007 to create a separate agency for vaccines within the Department of Health and Human Services.

From Salon

Parker Davis of Hardy Californians is a landscape designer and native plant fanatic, but he also has a flair for fashion.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, this isn’t your typical Friday night for sports fanatics.

From Los Angeles Times

It started with the Supreme Court’s ruling in a lawsuit brought by a passel of antiabortion fanatics that aimed to roll back the Food and Drug Administration’s approvals of mifepristone dispensing by mail.

From Los Angeles Times

We have people who are opposed to scientific knowledge about the world, and who are totally committed to fanatic ideas of theocracy, superstition and religion, that have nothing to do with reality.

From Salon

Related Words

• addict
• bigot
• devotee
• enthusiast
• extremist
• fiend
• freak
• maniac
• militant
• nut
• radical
• visionary
• zealot

More About Fanatic

What does fanatic mean?

A fanatic is a person with an extreme and often unquestioning enthusiasm, devotion, or zeal for something, such as a religion, political stance, or cause.

This sense of the word is typically used negatively to imply that someone takes such devotion too far, as in They’re considered religious fanatics due to their extreme practices. Close synonyms are extremist, radical, and zealot.

Other times, fanatic is not used negatively but instead simply refers to someone who is extreme in their devotion or enthusiasm for an interest or hobby. For example, calling someone a sports fanatic means they’re an extremely enthusiastic fan of sports. In fact, the word fan is a shortening of fanatic.

Less commonly, fanatic can be used as an adjective meaning the same thing as fanatical—having and motivated by extreme enthusiasm or devotion.

Example: We dismiss them as fanatics, but their beliefs may be more widespread than we think.

Where does fanatic come from?

The first records of the word fanatic come from around 1530. It comes from the Latin fānāticus, meaning “pertaining to a temple, inspired by divinity, frantic.”

The devotion and enthusiasm of a fanatic goes beyond normal interest. It’s intense, extreme, and often unconditional, meaning it will probably continue no matter what—even in spite of evidence that such fanatical beliefs are wrong or dangerous.

Even when fanatic is not used in a negative way and simply refers to a fan, it often implies that someone is a die-hard fan who will continue to support the subject of their fandom no matter what.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to fanatic?

• fanatical (adjective)
• fanaticism (noun)
• fanaticize (verb)

What are some synonyms for fanatic?

• extremist
• radical
• zealot
• devotee
• fanatical

What are some words that share a root or word element with fanatic? 

• fan

What are some words that often get used in discussing fanatic?

 

• religious
• sports
• politics
• extreme
• belief

How is fanatic used in real life?

When used negatively, fanatic is especially used in the context of religion and politics. When it’s used to mean “huge fan,” it’s especially used in the context of sports.

No form of education or exposure can reform a tribalistic and religious fanatic. It's a lost cause.

— EIBRO (@Kaylonati) August 23, 2020

By living a focused life. Great achievers stayed focused on their goal. They are so single-minded that they are often considered fanatics.

— marvin andrews (@marvellous_77) November 24, 2014

I'm a college basketball fanatic. I live in lexington ky and it's the biggest college basketball community. It's like a sin to not like basketball here 😂

— Casey (@caseyleighwit) April 14, 2018

 

 

Try using fanatic!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of fanatic?

A. devotee
B. extremist
C. opponent
D. radical