English Reference

Word

fanaticism

Phoneticsfa·nati·cism

US/fəˈnætəˌsɪzəm/

UK/fɐnˈætɪsˌɪzəm/

Definition

n. extreme and uncontrolled enthusiasm for a belief, idea, or activity. It often involves ignoring facts or being too focused on one thing.

n. extreme and unreasoning devotion to a cause, belief, or interest. Often carries a negative connotation of irrationality or an inability to consider alternative perspectives.

Examples

“His fanaticism for football makes him ignore the team's poor performance.”

“The politician's speech was criticized for promoting fanaticism rather than encouraging a balanced debate on the new law.”

“While the movement began as a call for reform, its rapid growth into fanaticism eventually led to the exclusion of any members who dared to question the central tenets.”

Examples

simple

“His fanaticism for football makes him ignore the team's poor performance.”

contextual

“The politician's speech was criticized for promoting fanaticism rather than encouraging a balanced debate on the new law.”

complex

“While the movement began as a call for reform, its rapid growth into fanaticism eventually led to the exclusion of any members who dared to question the central tenets.”

Real-World Examples

“Cue a soft-focus, flashback-heavy trip into the family’s past, thick with emotional neglect, parental narcissism and religious fanaticism.”
The Guardian · 3 Sept 2026
“The religious fanaticism of those who had flown into the twin towers and the so-called Islamophobia of their critics were both represented as crimes, hardly distinguishable in their destructiveness.”
BBC News · 25 Oct 2015

Etymology

From fanatic + -ism.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference