jihadist

noun

ji·​had·​ist ji-ˈhä-dist How to pronounce jihadist (audio)
 chiefly British  -ˈha-
: a Muslim who advocates or participates in a jihad
jihadist adjective

Examples of jihadist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Uneducated populations are putty in the hands of extremists, from Marxists to jihadists. Llewellyn King, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025 And in Syria, Trump may again abandon the Kurds in order to gain leverage on the new regime, run by former jihadists currently trying to persuade the world of good intentions. John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025 Beijing says the Uyghurs are jihadists, but has not presented evidence. Dake Kang and Huizhong Wu, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025 Regardless of whether the terrorist in this instance was a homegrown jihadist indoctrinated while living in the United States, or an operative actually taking direction from overseas jihadists, there is no doubt that the Biden-era collapse of border security has made the nation more vulnerable. The Editors, National Review, 2 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jihadist

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jihadist was in 1967

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jihadist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jihadist. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!