fanatical

[fuh-nat-i-kuh l] /fəˈnæt ɪ kəl/

adjective

motivated or characterized by an extreme, uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics.

Also, fanatic.

Origin

1540-50; fanatic + -al¹

Related forms

fanatically, adverb

fanaticalness, noun

nonfanatical, adjective

nonfanatically, adverb

unfanatical, adjective

unfanatically, adverb

Synonyms

enthusiastic, zealous, frenzied, rabid. See intolerant, radical.

Examples from the web for fanatical

Opera stars have their claques, fanatical followers and sometimes even completely demented stalkers.
But over the past few decades it has attracted fanatical thugs to its ranks.
Pound thundered out social and political views which later he would shun as wrong and fanatical.
He is sensibly trying to draw the less fanatical into negotiation while promising to hammer the rest.
Such a strategy is the only way for the healthy aspects of dance, and sports, to triumph over its fanatical and unhealthy aspects.
The entire decade of the aughts was marked by an almost fanatical aversion to risk.
It is easy to dismiss the iPod as a fad and its fanatical users as members of a gadget-obsessed cult.
Those fanatical consumers came to be known as audiophiles.
If you're going to be fanatical about something, there are worse things to obsess over than fuel mileage.
Kraft is fanatical when it comes to giving his animals a healthy diet, lots of exercise and scrupulously clean surroundings.

British Dictionary definitions for fanatical

/fəˈnætɪkəl/

adjective

surpassing what is normal or accepted in enthusiasm for or belief in something; excessively or unusually dedicated or devoted

Derived Forms

fanatically, adverb

Word Origin and History for fanatical

adj.

1540s, from fanatic + -al (1). Related: Fanatically.