fanaticise

fanaticise

A political leader fanaticises his followers with extreme rhetoric.

Definition
  1. Verb:
    • To make fanatical: "fanaticise" means to cause someone to develop extreme, uncritical zeal or enthusiasm, especially for a religious, political, or ideological cause.
    • To become fanatical: It can also be used intransitively to mean to adopt or display such extreme fervour.
Usage Examples

  • Transitive:

    • The charismatic leader tried to fanaticise his followers with fiery speeches. (He attempted to make them become fanatical.)
    • Years of propaganda had fanaticised the population against outsiders. (The propaganda had turned them into fanatics.)

  • Intransitive:

    • He began to fanaticise about the cause, neglecting all other aspects of his life. (He became increasingly fanatical in his devotion.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to fanaticise over something": to become obsessively zealous about a particular subject.

    • She fanaticised over the details of the conspiracy theory. (She developed extreme, uncritical belief in it.)

  • "to fanaticise a group": to instil fanaticism in a collective.

    • The regime used state media to fanaticise the youth. (To make young people fanatical supporters.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Fanatic (n): a person with extreme and uncritical enthusiasm.

    • He is a religious fanatic who refuses to listen to other viewpoints. (A person with extreme zeal.)

  • Fanatical (adj): characterized by extreme zeal.

    • Her fanatical devotion to the team was obvious. (Showing extreme enthusiasm.)

  • Fanaticalness (n): the quality of being fanatical.

    • The fanaticalness of the crowd was alarming. (The state of extreme zeal.)
Synonyms
  • Zealotise: to make someone a zealot; to fill with excessive fervour.
  • Radicalise: to cause someone to adopt extreme political or religious views.
  • Indoctrinate: to teach someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.
Related Idioms

  • To stir up a frenzy: to provoke extreme excitement or fanaticism.

    • The speaker's words stirred up a frenzy among the crowd. (Caused fanatical behaviour.)

  • To drink the Kool-Aid: to accept an ideology or belief system uncritically, often with fatal consequences (derived from the Jonestown massacre).

    • He drank the Kool-Aid and joined the cult. (He became blindly fanatical.)