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
-
Goche said much of the anger toward ICE is fueled by misinformation and agitators.—
Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
The bag will help protect the garment from friction, snagging, and other damage caused by other items in the wash, and add an extra layer between the machine’s drum and center agitator and the clothing.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
More screen time is given over to her burgeoning friendship with firebrand suffragette Mary, played by singer Lily Allen in a deliberately anachronistic performance — her forthright speech and manner beamed in directly from the 21st century.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
3 June 2026
-
Here’s the liberal firebrand who wants to shake up Sacramento.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Accompanying the violence, both the Naxals and the security forces – including local militia raised to combat the rebels – have been accused of horrific human rights abuses, including abductions, torture and rape.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The rebels have reported two cases.—
Jean-Yves Kamale,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Concert promoters, meanwhile, see it as filling an important gap in Southern California’s music venue market.—
Clay Marshall,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Quality Content Influencers aren’t merely promoters but content machines.—
Wyles Daniel
June 4,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
This new age of beauty, proponents said, is about keeping your skin fresh in the long term rather than freaking about the appearance of aging in the present.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
-
The Legislature passed a suite of housing bills this session to override local zoning rules that proponents argued contributed to the state’s affordability woes, the Idaho Statesman previously reported.—
Rose Evans
June 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Some of it was sought-after — Levinson is a provocateur, and his courting of controversy has earned the series nine Emmy wins and far more nominations.—
Seija Rankin,
HollywoodReporter,
31 May 2026
-
The Human Is Staying In The Picture (Mostly) Screenwriter and director Paul Schrader, at nearly 80 years old an unlikely technology provocateur, delivered a talk at AI on the Lot peppered with pot-stirring takes.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
31 May 2026
Noun
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In recent weeks, the race for Los Angeles mayor has been dominated by reality star Spencer Pratt, who, following an expectation-exceeding debate performance, has risen in the polls with an insurgent campaign specializing in producing or promoting brash and direct online videos.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
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Traders on prediction market platform Kalshi think the incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and insurgent former reality TV star Spencer Pratt are most likely to advance to the second round.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Noun
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With its brilliant white surface reflecting the searing Spanish sun, the cross that crowns the Tower of Jesus Christ (the other 17 towers are dedicated to the 12 apostles, four Evangelists and the Virgin Mary) is as tall as a five-story building and weighs around 100 tons.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
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The 500-plus-mile (805 km) pilgrimage trail has a 1,000-year history and leads to the tomb of the apostle Saint James at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demagogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demagogue. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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