firebrand

Plural: firebrands

Noun

• a piece of wood that has been burned or is burning
• someone who deliberately foments trouble
• An argumentative troublemaker or revolutionary; one who agitates against the status quo.
• A torch or other burning stick with a flame at one end.

Examples

• The crowd cheered as a firebrand was tossed onto the huge pile of wood to start the traditional homecoming bonfire.
• The member of the college's Communist League was a firebrand who would launch a sit-in or protest march at a moment's notice.

Synonyms

brand, inciter, instigant, instigator, provoker, radical, revolutionary, troublemaker