If you describe someone as a fanatic, you disapprove of them because you consider their behaviour or opinions to be very extreme, for example in the way they support particular religious or political ideas.
[disapproval]
I am not a religious fanatic but I am a Christian.
Synonyms: extremist, activist, militant, addict More Synonyms of fanatic
2. countable noun [usually noun NOUN]
If you say that someone is a fanatic, you mean that they are very enthusiastic about a particular activity, sport, or way of life.
Both Rod and Phil are football fanatics.
3. adjective
Fanatic means the same as fanatical.
fanatic in British English
(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
3. a variant of fanatical
Word origin
C16: from Latin fānāticus belonging to a temple, hence, inspired by a god, frenzied, from fānum temple
fanatic in American English
(fəˈnætɪk)
adjective
1.
fanatical
noun
2.
a person whose extreme zeal, piety, etc. goes beyond what is reasonable; zealot
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈzealot
Word origin
< L fanaticus, of a temple, hence enthusiastic, inspired < fanum, a temple: see fane
Examples of 'fanatic' in a sentence
fanatic
She had been a fitness fanatic all her life.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The timer is also a useful feature for football fanatics!
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
JOEL: Funny and a fitness fanatic.
The Sun (2016)
That is a source of great irritation to the health fanatics.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Are you a sports fanatic with a finely tuned fashion radar?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We have here a sports fanatic.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
For these food fanatics, eating well is a holy endeavour.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It was at first suspected the right-wing fanatic had accomplices.
The Sun (2011)
He is a fitness fanatic in great shape, which makes it more difficult for me.
The Sun (2013)
It means the right-wing fanatic will die in prison.
The Sun (2012)
Health fanatics wouldn't dare dip their sustainable salmon into anything else.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Everybody is a fitness fanatic when you are young, but he was a player going places.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The 20-year-old football fanatic fought off competition from five other finalists and impressed our judges with her wicked humour and feisty attitude.
The Sun (2013)
A must for any film fanatic.
The Sun (2009)
TO a football fanatic like me, this statistic is cobblers.
The Sun (2010)
It's the yearly highlight in the diaries of the capital's film fanatics.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
My father, a football fanatic, said it set our sports apart.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Quotations
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subjectWinston Churchill
In other languages
fanatic
British English: fanatic /fəˈnætɪk/ NOUN
If you describe someone as a fanatic, you disapprove of them because you consider their behaviour or opinions to be very extreme.
I am not a religious fanatic but I am a man of faith.