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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
fanaticism
noun
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ A madness, an extraordinary fanaticism, took possession of all these new worshippers of the sun.
▪ At the end of the day, of course, it is fanaticism, not literature, that pulls the trigger.
▪ But eventually he was forced to concede that religious and regional fanaticism threatened to overwhelm his reforms.
▪ Deep anxiety may cause obsessive behaviour, fanaticism or a strict adherence to religion for the wrong reasons.
▪ The boy saw through the fanaticism and found that his sense of chivalry was excited.
▪ The present writer, too, can testify to the fanaticism from discussions at that time with diplomats in London and overseas.
▪ They marched on, goaded by a fanaticism which made everything possible, a manic gleam in the eye.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Fanaticism

Fanaticism \Fa*nat"i*cism\, n. [Cf. Fanatism.] Excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions, on any subject, especially religion, politics or ideology; religious frenzy.

Syn: See Superstition.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
fanaticism

1650s, from fanatic + -ism.

Wiktionary
fanaticism

n. The characteristic or practice of being a fanatic.

WordNet
fanaticism

n. excessive intolerance of opposing views [syn: zealotry]

Wikipedia
Fanaticism

Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal or with an obsessive enthusiasm. Philosopher George Santayana defines fanaticism as "redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim". The fanatic displays very strict standards and little tolerance for contrary ideas or opinions.

In his book Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk, Neil Postman states that "the key to all fanatical beliefs is that they are self-confirming....(some beliefs are) fanatical not because they are 'false', but because they are expressed in such a way that they can never be shown to be false."

The behavior of a fan with overwhelming enthusiasm for a given subject is differentiated from the behavior of a fanatic by the fanatic's violation of prevailing social norms. Though the fan's behavior may be judged as odd or eccentric, it does not violate such norms. A fanatic differs from a crank, in that a crank is defined as a person who holds a position or opinion which is so far from the norm as to appear ludicrous and/or probably wrong, such as a belief in a Flat Earth. In contrast, the subject of the fanatic's obsession may be "normal", such as an interest in religion or politics, except that the scale of the person's involvement, devotion, or obsession with the activity or cause is abnormal or disproportionate to the average.

Fanaticism (disambiguation)

Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal or obsessive enthusiasm.

  • Religious fanaticism, fanaticism related to a religion

Fanaticism, fanatic and fanatical may also refer to:

  • Fan (person) (short for "fanatic"), a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something
  • FANatic, a U.S. TV show on the MTV network in the late 1990s
  • Fanatic (album), a 2012 album by the band Heart
  • Fanatic (film), a 1965 British thriller
  • FANatical, a Canadian documentary television series
  • WWE Fanatic Series, a monthly show on the World Wrestling Entertainment
  • Fanatic, a now defunct Games Workshop hobby, gaming, and Mordheim magazine
  • "Fanatic", a song by Heidi Montag from Superficial

Usage examples of "fanaticism".

That he could do with himself what he would, that he created a new thing without overturning the old, that he won men to himself by announcing the Father, that he inspired without fanaticism, set up a kingdom without politics, set men free from the world without asceticism, was a teacher without theology, at a time of fanaticism and politics, asceticism and theology, is the great miracle of his person, and that he who preached the Sermon on the Mount declared himself in respect of his life and death, to be the Redeemer and Judge of the world, is the offence and foolishness which mock all reason.

And this time The Avenger has surpassed himself as regards his audacity and daring--so cold in its maniacal fanaticism and abhorrent wickedness.

I should not have required such a long study, if I had not at first begun on a wrong scent, or rather if my intelligence had not been stultified by my fanaticism.

While no one had ever considered Norma beautiful, he still found her attractive because of who she was--a gentle genius with a passion for the art of mathematics that surpassed even the purest fanaticism of the most dedicated jihadi fighter.

But mark, if with all your energy and zeal you fail, or if you pass into a leaderette in some Freemason journal, and your zeal is held up as fanaticism and your energy as imprudence, the whole world will regard you as a hot-headed young fool, and will ask with rage and white lips, What is the Bishop doing in allowing these young men to take the reins into their own hands and drive the chariot of the sun?

The Retent Uldras, despite their fanaticism, scattered and retreated across the Plain of Walking Bones, and ultimately took cover in a forest of black jinkos on the slopes of the Gildred Mountains.

The nickname was a testament to his discipline as a sculler, a demanding sport that requires an almost absolute fanaticism if one is to be successful.

The disorderly opposition of the peasants of Syria, and the populace of Alexandria, to the rage of private fanaticism, was silenced by the name and authority of the emperor.

The indifference and contempt of the sovereign would have been, perhaps, the most effectual method of silencing the dispute, if the popular current had been less rapid and impetuous, and if Constantine himself, in the midst of faction and fanaticism, could have preserved the calm possession of his own mind.

But they approach it with a zeal and a complete fanaticism that Sutty has experienced before, to her lasting regret.

The incident gave me considerable food for speculation, since if I were right in the conclusion induced by the cursory glimpse I had had of the spy, then Matai Shang and Thurid must suspect my identity, and if that were true not even the service I had rendered Kulan Tith could save me from his religious fanaticism.

Jews, whose stern fanaticism would be always prepared to second, and even to anticipate, the hostile measures of the Pagan government.

In his own way, he was as fanatical as any Architect or true believer, only his was a fanaticism of logic and reason, and cold, clear thought.

Moreover, a wide outlook will help us to avoid exaggerations, preciosities, and fanaticisms.

Jews opposed their fanaticism to the fanaticism of the Christians, barricaded their houses, and precipitating themselves, their families, and their wealth, into the rivers or the flames, disappointed the malice, or at least the avarice, of their implacable foes.