Words / B2

TER-uh-rist/ˈterərɪst/

A terrorist is a person who uses violence for political aims to create fear: a terrorist attack; terrorist suspects. Terrorism is the activity (already in the dictionary); terror is the feeling. Name the charge in the source, not a tabloid label. Mix-up: tourist (already in the dictionary); terror. Do not use terrorist as a playground insult in a write-up.

Meaning

A person who uses violence for political aims to create fear.

Examples

• “Name the charge in the source, not a tabloid “terrorist” caption before the verdict.”
• “The history paper dates the Emergency laws after the terrorist campaign, which is the political-violence sense.”

Good to know

a terrorist attack / group / suspect. Activity: terrorism. Feeling: terror. Trap: tourist. News, citizenship, and history. A person using political violence — use the source’s legal wording.

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