pander

verb

Save Word

pan·der | \ ˈpan-dər

pandered; pandering\ ˈpan-d(ə-)riŋ

Definition of pander

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to act as a pander especially : to provide gratification for others' desires films that pander to the basest emotions … used his brilliant gifts to pander to popular taste. — Hubert Saal

pander

noun

Definition of pander (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a go-between in love intrigues

b : pimp

2 : someone who caters to or exploits the weaknesses of others

Other Words from pander Synonyms Distinctive Meanings of Procure More Example Sentences Learn More about pander

Keep scrolling for more

Distinctive Meanings of Procure

Procure, like many other English words, has a split personality. On the one hand, it may carry a perfectly benign meaning, such as "to obtain" (“she procured supplies”) or "to bring about" (“the settlement was successfully procured”). On the other hand, it has long been used in the specific sense of obtaining someone for, or bringing about, sexually promiscuous purposes. In this regard it is similar to the word pander, which entered the English language with the innocent meaning “a go-between in love intrigues” (the word comes from the name Pandare, a character in Chaucer’s poem Troilus and Criseyde who facilitates the affair between the titular characters), and soon after took on the meaning “pimp.”

Examples of pander in a Sentence

Noun an arrest record that revealed that he had variously been a pander, a pickpocket, and a drug dealer

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb To that end, June has become, in recent years, a time when institutions—companies, mainly—celebrate, and/or pander to, the LGBTQ+ community. — Angela Watercutter, Wired, "The True Return of LGBTQ+ Pride," 19 June 2020 Large swaths of corporate America are pathetically pandering to the radical left, hoping for mercy when the rage brigades come for them. — Emma Colton, Washington Examiner, "'They will show you no mercy': Dan Bongino warns corporate America to stop 'pandering to the radical left'," 7 June 2020 Now, as the United States faces its greatest threat since the Civil War, Zuckerberg panders to the authoritarian in the White House. — Siva Vaidhyanathan, Wired, "Mark Zuckerberg Believes Only in Mark Zuckerberg," 3 June 2020 That profile would be reassuring to Democratic donors and upscale suburbanites, and in line with Biden’s own preference for pandering to the social-issue left rather than the party’s socialist wing. — Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, "Why Joe Biden Might Choose Terri Sewell for Vice President," 23 Apr. 2020 When Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden popped-in with Beto O'Rourke at a Dallas area Whataburger for a Super Tuesday Eve meal, many mocked him for pandering to the common Texan. — Danny Hermosillo, Houston Chronicle, "Joe Biden thanks Texas, Whataburger Nation for the win," 4 Mar. 2020 Nhiwatiwa pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, pandering obscenity, disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and endangering children and faces a prison sentence of up to 7 1/2 years. — Hannah Drown, cleveland, "See sentencing of Cleveland cop who urinated on 12-year-old girl and tried to abduct her," 21 Jan. 2020 However, this attack on WHO is a purely political move designed to distract and pander to Trump’s base. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "WHO answers Trump’s attack with call for unity against COVID-19," 15 Apr. 2020 The operation focused on human trafficking, prostitution, pandering and the movement of prostitutes used by drug dealers. — Elissa Robinson, Detroit Free Press, "Warren police: 46 people arrested in human trafficking, prostitution bust," 20 Dec. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Unlike Trump, Napoleon did not deny the plague, pander false cures, or ignore the suffering around him. — Robert Klitzman, STAT, "Pandemic politics: What leaders should — and shouldn’t — learn from Napoleon," 25 June 2020 The giant pander-fest that is the Democratic primary is just getting started. — Michael Tanner, National Review, "The Moral Dimension to Our National Debt," 28 Aug. 2019 Its initial emphasis on high fashion—and the pander to the one-percent with the five-figure versions—seemed a bit tone-deaf. — Steven Levy, WIRED, "A Reminiscence of Jony Ive’s Design Legacy," 27 June 2019 Trump announced his steel and aluminum tariffs in the campaign’s final days, the most microtargeted pander to Rust Belt voters imaginable. — Frank Rich, Daily Intelligencer, "The Hidden Logic of Trump’s Staff Exodus," 14 Mar. 2018 More like a pander-stretch on a non-issue in an election year. — John Baer, Philly.com, "'The stretch,' politically speaking, by Trump, Stack, Wagner, Leach & others," 23 Jan. 2018 Rather than being greeted as an honest attempt to reach out to a voting group that overwhelmingly dislikes him, the taco bowl post was widely mocked as an obvious, ham-fisted pander. — Farhad Manjoo, New York Times, "Twitter, Trump’s Trusty Weapon, Could Backfire," 18 May 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pander.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about pander

Dictionary Entries near pander

Statistics for pander

Last Updated

3 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Pander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pander. Accessed 5 Jul. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for pander

pander

verb

English Language Learners Definition of pander

disapproving : to do or provide what someone wants or demands even though it is not proper, good, or reasonable

pander

transitive verb

pan·der | \ ˈpan-dər

Legal Definition of pander

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to sell or distribute by pandering had no protected right to pander prurient materials — Dunigan Enterprises v. DA for the Northern District, 415 N.E.2d 251 (1981)

intransitive verb

: to engage in pandering counts included…conspiracy to pander and receive the earnings of a prostitute — State v. Tocco, 750 P.2d 874 (1988)

pander

noun

Legal Definition of pander (Entry 2 of 2)

: one who engages in pandering : panderer

Keep scrolling for more