partisans
Those taking sides
Partisans are strong supporters of a party, cause, or person—often implying bias or unwillingness to consider opposing views: partisan politics, partisan bickering.
The word works as both noun and adjective.
A partisan is also a member of an irregular military force fighting an occupying army, especially in World War II: Yugoslav partisans harassed German supply lines.
Irregular armed fighter
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- militiaNon-professional armed force
- combatantsThose engaged in warfare
- fightersThose who engage physically
rebels · maquis · underground · irregulars · cell · saboteurs · freedom fighters · paramilitaries
Those who support causes
- backersFinancial supporters
- proponentsSupporters of a position
- sympathizersThose favoring a cause
- followersPeople who support someone
adherents · allies · champions · defenders · stalwarts · loyalists · enthusiasts · boosters
Loyalty owed to authority
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
fealty · solidarity · steadfastness · dedication · party loyalty · tribal loyalty · unwavering · unswerving
Separation into opposing extremes
- factionalismDivision into opposing cliques
- tribalismIn-group loyalty, out-group hostility
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
discord · sectarianism · gridlock · entrenchment · infighting · splinter · bloc · caucus
Obsessive, unreasoning dedication
- extremismIdeology beyond accepted norms
- fervorIntense emotional intensity
- radicalismPursuit of sweeping change
- dogmatismUnyielding adherence to doctrine
intolerance · ideologue · true believer · hardliner · purist · uncompromising · intransigent · absolutism
Unfairly weighted toward one
- slantedAngled from vertical
- prejudicedBiased against a group
- ideologicalRelating to belief systems
- spinRapid rotation around axis
propaganda · talking points · echo chamber · cherry-picking · motivated reasoning · confirmation bias · agenda · unfair
guerrilla
Irregular armed fighter
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- militiaNon-professional armed force
- combatantsThose engaged in warfare
fighters · rebels · maquis · underground · irregulars · cell · saboteurs · freedom fighters · paramilitaries · revolutionaries
advocates
Those who support causes
- backersFinancial supporters
- proponentsSupporters of a position
- sympathizersThose favoring a cause
followers · adherents · allies · champions · defenders · stalwarts · loyalists · enthusiasts · boosters · devotees
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
fidelity · fealty · solidarity · steadfastness · dedication · party loyalty · tribal loyalty · unwavering · unswerving · blind loyalty
polarization
Separation into opposing extremes
- factionalismDivision into opposing cliques
- tribalismIn-group loyalty, out-group hostility
- schismFormal organizational fracture
rift · discord · sectarianism · gridlock · entrenchment · infighting · splinter · bloc · caucus · camps
fanaticism
Obsessive, unreasoning dedication
- extremismIdeology beyond accepted norms
- fervorIntense emotional intensity
- radicalismPursuit of sweeping change
dogmatism · intolerance · ideologue · true believer · hardliner · purist · uncompromising · intransigent · absolutism · militant
one-sided
Unfairly weighted toward one
- slantedAngled from vertical
- prejudicedBiased against a group
- ideologicalRelating to belief systems
spin · propaganda · talking points · echo chamber · cherry-picking · motivated reasoning · confirmation bias · agenda · unfair · skewed
- Czechoslovak Militarymobilization, national defense, military strategy, border defenses, armored units
- January Uprisinginsurgents, insurgent forces, insurgent leaders, national government, guerrilla warfare
- Revolutionary WarGeorge Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross flag
- armed forcesarmy, military, soldiers, troops, marines
- devoteesdevotee, devotees, adherent, adherents, follower
- followersfollowers, conformist, disciples, devotees, adherents
partisansneutrals
Those taking no side
nonpartisans · independents · moderates · centrists · fence-sitters
partisansoccupiers
Those currently dwelling somewhere
occupation forces · invaders · collaborators · oppressors · conventional forces
partisanscosmopolitans
Worldly, well-traveled people
universalists · free agents · individualists · pluralists · uniters
- partisan politicsGovernance driven by party loyalty
- partisan conflictFighting along party lines
- partisan divideSplit along party lines
- partisan gridlockGovernance halted by factions
- partisan voteBallot following party allegiance
- partisan pressNews with political allegiance
partisan, bipartisan, nonpartisan, partisanship, nonpartisanship, bipartisanship, multipartisan