Meaning

An adherent to a party or faction..

Definitions by Sense

1. An adherent to a party or faction.
2. A fervent, sometimes militant, supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
3. A member of a band of detached light, irregular troops acting behind occupying enemy lines in the ways of harassment or sabotage; a guerrilla fighter.
4. (now rare) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy.
5. Serving as commander or member of a body of detached light troops.
6. Adherent to a party or faction; especially, having the character of blind, passionate, or unreasonable adherence to a party.
7. Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause.
8. (historical) A long-handled spear with a triangular, double-edged blade having lateral projections, in some forms also used in boar hunting.

Example Sentences

"Strong partisans of neither party, Indiana farmers failed to act as a block […]"

partisan officer, partisan corps

They were blinded by partisan zeal.

Having put partisan interests to one side, Greenwood set about making teamwork a watchword for her chairmanship, while seeking the broadest possible participation in subsequent inquiries.

partisan politics

England will regard it as a measure of justice for Frank Lampard's disallowed goal against Germany in Bloemfontein at the 2010 World Cup - but it was also an illustration of how they rode their luck for long periods in front of a predictably partisan home crowd.

He finds, not “demigods” but “a combative group of exhausted, drunken, broken, petty, partisan, scheming, squabbling, bloviating, sensory-deprived, underoxygenated, fed-up, talked-out, overheated delegates so distraught they threatened violence, secession.

I had as lief have a reed that will do me no service as a partisan I could not heave.

Word Forms

• partisans
• partizan
• more partisan
• most partisan

Synonyms for partisan

Antonyms for partisan

Related Words

When Should You Use Partisan?

Use partisan when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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