variants
also demagog
as in agitator
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
that politician is just a demagogue who preys upon people's fears and prejudices
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demagogue
When the populist demagogue Willie Stark orders Burden, journalist turned gumshoe, to dig up dirt on a local judge, Burden demurs; certainly there are no skeletons in the office of the good judge.
—
Brenda Wineapple, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Certainly Arendt, who lived through arguably darker times, did not see them as merely a product of the era’s monstrous demagogues.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, bias incidents and assaults against Asian Americans soared to alarming heights as demagogues on the streets and in high office inflamed xenophobic fear and animosity.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Brenda Wineapple, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Certainly Arendt, who lived through arguably darker times, did not see them as merely a product of the era’s monstrous demagogues.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, bias incidents and assaults against Asian Americans soared to alarming heights as demagogues on the streets and in high office inflamed xenophobic fear and animosity.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demagogue
Noun
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The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
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The patron saint of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was Fannie Lou Hamer—recalcitrant sharecropper turned agitator and, like the Democratic presidential nominee, a black woman.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
Noun
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What began as a harmless project took a turn when Ben Shapiro, the right-wing firebrand, made a reaction video to one of Uncle Pappy’s clips in June 2024, taking his comedic comments at face value.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 June 2026
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Before releasing his own albums, Ulmer played electric guitar in free-jazz firebrand Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time touring ensemble.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Mahamat Idriss Déby, 42, seized power in Chad after his father, Idriss Déby, was killed fighting rebels in 2021, before winning elections in 2024.—
Farai Mutsaka,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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The group has been responsible for current President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s security and for fighting rebel groups.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Birmingham police confirmed the individual who rented the backyard over the weekend was a promoter.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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As his promoter Hearn confirmed to The Athletic last week, Joshua’s contract states the bout must take place in the UK.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Noun
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This year, as a hopeful reality competition host nominee and proponent of Top Chef earning another reality competition series nom, Kish finds herself in a unique position as a participant on season four of fellow Emmys juggernaut The Traitors.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
21 June 2026
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David DaCosta, of the 18-acre Ace*Mission Studios, is among those pushing for what’s known as a Business Improvement District, or BID, in the area that proponents refer to as the Boyle Heights Industrial Flats, which runs adjacent to the river.—
Alejandra Molina,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Objection’s Founder and CEO is Aron D’Souza, an Australian entrepreneur and provocateur best known as the mastermind behind Thiel’s litigation strategy against Gawker, which involved a patient, extensive search for the ideal proxy plaintiff to sink the online news outlet.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
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Wilde’s character, who is a boundary-pushing artist and provocateur, pairs the intimates with a matching swipe of red lipstick, black liquid eyeliner, and a black leather belt and skirt.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
10 June 2026
Noun
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In 2022, French forces departed Mali as insurgents made incursions into the capital, Bamako.—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
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But now the onetime insurgent sits atop a sprawling establishment.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Seven Mountains has brought the language of spiritual warfare and demon-fighting into the mainstream of evangelicalism, through a network of pastors who view themselves as prophets and apostles engaged in a battle against evil secular forces.—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
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Sheiner also appeared as the apostle James the Elder in George Stevens’ The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) and had a meaty turn as Guido Lorenz, cop and partner of Charles Bronson’s Det.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demagogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demagogue. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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