अतिवादी (ativaadii)

noun/adjective A political/ideological term meaning 'extremist' -- used both as a noun (the extremist person) and as an adjective (extremist views, policies).
Sense 1 : extremist (person)
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: उग्रवादी (ugrvaadii), कट्टरपंथी (kattarpanthii)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet this word constantly in news channels and newspaper editorials when anchors debate people or parties accused of taking अति (ati, 'excess') positions -- अति (ati) is the root meaning 'excess, too much,' and -वादी (-vaadii) is a common suffix meaning 'one who holds/advocates [a view],' seen also in राष्ट्रवादी (raashtrvaadii, 'nationalist') and साम्यवादी (saamyvaadii, 'communist').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse अतिवादी (ativaadii) with आतंकवादी (aatankvaadii, 'terrorist') because of the similar shape -- अतिवादी refers to someone with extreme views or positions, not necessarily someone violent. 2) उग्रवादी (ugrvaadii) leans more toward militant/insurgent connotations, while अतिवादी (ativaadii) is broader and can describe extreme positions in any debate, from politics to diet fads.
Sample Sentences:
कुछ लोग उसे अतिवादी कहते हैं। Some people call him an extremist.
(kuchh log use ativaadii kahte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस पार्टी में कई अतिवादी शामिल हो गए हैं। Several extremists have joined that party.
(us paartii men kaii ativaadii shaamil ho gae hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
एंकर ने उसे अतिवादी घोषित कर दिया। The anchor declared him an extremist.
(enkar ne use ativaadii ghoshit kar diyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पुलिस अतिवादियों पर नज़र रख रही है। The police are keeping an eye on the extremists.
(pulis ativaadiyon par nazar rakh rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वह अतिवादी न होता, तो शायद बातचीत सफल हो जाती। If he weren't an extremist, the talks might have succeeded.
(agar vah ativaadii n hotaa, to shaayad baatchiit saphal ho jaatii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
समाचार-पत्रों में उसे अक्सर अतिवादी के रूप में चित्रित किया जाता है। In the newspapers he is often portrayed as an extremist.
(samaachaar-patron men use aksar ativaadii ke roop men chitrit kiyaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
यह ज़रूरी है कि सरकार अतिवादियों से सख़्ती से निपटे। It is necessary that the government deal firmly with the extremists.
(yah zaroorii hai ki sarkaar ativaadiyon se sakhtii se nipte।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अतिवादियों को हिंसा फैलाने की अनुमति मत दो। Don't let the extremists spread violence.
(ativaadiyon ko hinsaa phailaane kii anumti mat do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
टीवी डिबेट में हर असहमत व्यक्ति को अतिवादी कह दिया जाता है। In TV debates, every dissenting person is labeled an extremist.
(tiivii dibet men har asahmat vyakti ko ativaadii kah diyaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या तुम सच में उसे अतिवादी मानते हो? Do you really consider him an extremist?
(kyaa tum sach men use ativaadii maante ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : extremist, extreme (describing views/policies)
adjective
Synonyms: उग्र (ugr), कट्टर (kattar)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Common in phrases like अतिवादी सोच (ativaadii soch, 'extremist thinking') or अतिवादी रुख (ativaadii rukh, 'extremist stance'), often used by moderate commentators to criticize both left and right positions as being out of balance.
Common Mistakes: 1) As an adjective it typically stays invariant before the noun it modifies (अतिवादी विचार (ativaadii vichaar, 'extremist views')) -- learners sometimes try to inflect it like a regular -आ adjective, which is incorrect.
Sample Sentences:
उनकी अतिवादी सोच से पार्टी के भीतर भी असहमति है। There is disagreement even within the party over his extremist thinking.
(unkii ativaadii soch se paartii ke bhiitar bhii asahamti hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने विरोधियों के अतिवादी रुख की आलोचना की। The government criticized the opponents' extremist stance.
(sarkaar ne virodhiyon ke ativaadii rukh kii aalochnaa kii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह नीति काफी अतिवादी लगती है, संतुलित रास्ता निकालना बेहतर होगा। This policy seems quite extremist; it would be better to find a balanced path.
(yah niiti kaaphii ativaadii lagtii hai, santulit raastaa nikaalnaa behtar hogaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर उनका रुख इतना अतिवादी न होता, तो बातचीत सफल हो जाती। If their stance had not been so extremist, the talks would have succeeded.
(agar unkaa rukh itnaa ativaadii n hotaa, to baatchiit saphal ho jaatii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अतिवादी विचारों को बढ़ावा मत दो, इससे समाज में दरार आती है। Don't promote extremist ideas; it creates cracks in society.
(ativaadii vichaaron ko badhaavaa mat do, isse samaaj men daraar aatii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
संपादकीय में दोनों पक्षों के अतिवादी रुख की आलोचना की गई। In the editorial, the extremist stance of both sides was criticized.
(sampaadkiiy men donon pakshon ke ativaadii rukh kii aalochnaa kii gaii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
हो सकता है कि उनकी सोच धीरे-धीरे अतिवादी हो गई हो। It's possible that his thinking gradually became extremist.
(ho saktaa hai ki unkii soch dhiire-dhiire ativaadii ho gaii ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें नहीं लगता कि यह मांग बहुत अतिवादी है? Don't you think this demand is quite extremist?
(kyaa tumhen nahiin lagtaa ki yah maang bahut ativaadii hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मध्यमार्गी टिप्पणीकार अक्सर दोनों छोरों की अतिवादी नीतियों पर सवाल उठाते हैं। Moderate commentators often question the extremist policies of both extremes.
(madhymaargii tippniikaar aksar donon chhoron kii ativaadii niitiyon par savaal uthaate hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अतिवादी विचारधाराएं समाज को बांटती हैं, न कि जोड़ती हैं। Extremist ideologies divide society, not unite it.
(ativaadii vichaardhaaraaen samaaj ko baanttii hain, n ki jodtii hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): अतिवादी (ativaadii)
(sg.m/f.oblique): अतिवादी (ativaadii)
(pl.m/f.direct): अतिवादियाँ (ativaadiyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique): अतिवादियों (ativaadiyon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: अतिवादी (ativaadii)