iconoclast

/aɪˈkɑnəˌklæst/
noun
  1. A person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs, traditions, or institutions.
    • The professor was an iconoclast who questioned every accepted theory.
    • She became an iconoclast in the fashion industry by rejecting all trends.
    • The journalist was known as an iconoclast who challenged government policies.
  2. A person who destroys religious images or icons, especially in a historical context.
    • The ancient iconoclasts believed that images distracted from worship.
    • During the Reformation, iconoclasts smashed statues in churches.
    • Historians debate the motives of the Byzantine iconoclasts.
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