iconoclast
2 synonyms and 2 antonyms for iconoclast, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person who challenges or attacks widely cherished beliefs, traditions or institutions.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use iconoclast
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a true iconoclast
seen as an iconoclast
an iconoclast by nature
iconoclast among his peers
The word is fairly formal and is used mostly in writing about ideas, culture or public figures.
Etymology
Iconoclast was borrowed into English from French iconoclaste, which itself came from Medieval Latin īconoclastēs. That term goes back to Medieval Greek, where it literally meant image breaker, built from roots meaning icon and breaking.
Full origin of iconoclast →Frequently asked questions
What does iconoclast mean?
An iconoclast is someone who challenges or attacks beliefs, traditions or institutions that most people hold dear. The word literally comes from a Greek term for an image breaker.
Is iconoclast a positive or negative word?
It can go either way: it may praise someone as an independent thinker or criticise them for attacking things others value, depending on how it is used.
What is the opposite of an iconoclast?
A traditionalist or conformist, someone who upholds accepted beliefs rather than challenging them, is generally treated as the opposite.
