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
-
Instead of removing the anti-free speech agitators, UNLV police escorted Peer off campus.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
-
Instead of removing the anti-free speech agitators, UNLV police escorted Peer off campus.—
Las Vegas Review-Journal,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
All hell broke loose at Thursday's press conference when Khamzat Chimaev and firebrand Sean Strickland nearly turned a routine face-off into a street fight.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
Since arriving on the scene almost a decade ago, the trio have presented themselves as firebrands, ready to stick it to an establishment seeking to strangle the last remnants of 20th century Irish republicanism.—
Dean Van Nguyen,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mali was struck late last month by one of the biggest coordinated attacks on its army in Bamako and several other cities by jihadis and rebels who seized several towns and military bases.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
The rebels were fully aware of these other colonies and sought to include them.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Those business partners were doing that hard piece of convincing managers, agents, and promoters to take the risk — and the promoters finally agreed.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
-
Boxing tempts him, the business world motivates him and his role as a promoter excites him.—
Jorge Ebro
May 6,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The entrenchment of those supply chains may have been underestimated by proponents of nearshoring and onshoring, while the impacts of higher tariffs may have been overestimated.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
-
Despite that distinct lack of a firm commitment to raising new revenues, proponents of finding new revenue sources to replace federal healthcare cuts cheered the Assembly proposal and described it as aligned with the Senate.—
Andrew Graham
May 7,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
McGrath’s work covers artists ranging from indie provocateur Peaches and Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff to Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, Soundgarden and Steve Martin, so don’t be surprised to see some of your favorites in there.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
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Just a funny parasocial back-and-forth between some of the most passionate fans in sports and one of the best provocateurs the SEC has seen since Steve Spurrier.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Many advanced states understand the need for some kind of violent reaction to terrorists or insurgents, usually as a task for special-operations forces.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
-
Both political insurgents were elected under extraordinary circumstances.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
The New Testament does contain positive depictions of Pharisees — Levine points to Nicodemus, who defended Jesus and helped bury him, and Gamaliel, who advocated for the apostles Peter and John.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
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Or perhaps the President would have been satisfied enough with Peter, one of Jesus’ original twelve apostles, whom many consider to be the first Pope.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demagogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demagogue. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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