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
Many of the systems designed to constrain just such a demagogue have failed, with deferential courts in particular having let the former and soon-to-be president skate on nakedly anti-democratic conduct.
—
Orlando Sentinel and New York Daily News Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2025
Reagan, who served in the latter years of the Cold War in the 1980s, invoked free trade as a weapon in the fight against authoritarian adversaries abroad and perceived demagogues at home.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Nov. 2024
Where there’s wealth there will be politicians trying to get the wealth, or demagogue the wealth in order to get it, which means businesses must have a Washington strategy.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Yale historian Timothy Snyder’s new book On Freedom explains how institutions of government can protect human rights while his 2017 book On Tyranny explains how demagogues succeed in eroding those pillars of society to be replaced by a tyrant.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Orlando Sentinel and New York Daily News Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2025
Reagan, who served in the latter years of the Cold War in the 1980s, invoked free trade as a weapon in the fight against authoritarian adversaries abroad and perceived demagogues at home.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Nov. 2024
Where there’s wealth there will be politicians trying to get the wealth, or demagogue the wealth in order to get it, which means businesses must have a Washington strategy.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Yale historian Timothy Snyder’s new book On Freedom explains how institutions of government can protect human rights while his 2017 book On Tyranny explains how demagogues succeed in eroding those pillars of society to be replaced by a tyrant.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demagogue
Noun
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On Monday night, anti-Israel agitators with the group Within Our Lifetime (WOL) protested in the train station’s main concourse.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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This event is being driven by left-wing extremists and paid agitators with a clear agenda.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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His presence in the White House was also a lightning rod for far-right activists, including Laura Loomer, a firebrand right-wing commentator who is known to have Trump’s ear.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
1 May 2025
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For me, one of those was a photo of comedian Bill Maher—longtime liberal firebrand—having dinner with President Donald Trump, a figure he’s relentlessly criticized for years.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Prospective visitors, along with park proponents, are concerned about what the parks and experiences may look like after the sweeping layoffs across the National Park Service and the larger federal government in February.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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Once the petition is submitted and approved by the Secretary of State’s office, petition proponents have 120 days to collect signatures.—
Gary Warth,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In confrontations with both India and Iran, Pakistan has consistently denied offering safe haven to transnational rebels at a time when the country was struggling to stem a deadly wave of attacks by insurgents against its own soldiers and civilians.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.—
Aijaz Hussain,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The merger proposal drew concern from competing concert promoters and venue owners, who claimed at the time that combining Ticketmaster and Live Nation would force them to work with their largest competitor.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Apr. 2025
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The concept of WrestleMania was created by Vince McMahon, a second-generation wrestling promoter who served as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for four decades before resigning from his role with the company in 2024.—
Mark LaSota,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Filmmaker, actor, writer and good-natured provocateur John Waters turned 79 this week.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
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Yoko, a new biography about Ono by David Sheff, opens with a prologue about Cut Piece, introducing her—as provocateur, martyr, and social experimenter—through the lens of her own creation.—
Beatrice Loayza,
ARTnews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Super Bowl champion Eagles are visiting the White House.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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Bell 2, Garfield 0: Defending City champion Bell is starting to find its pitching just in time to win the battle for first place in the Eastern League.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Without the hard-charging Pell as his front man, Francis often seemed to hesitate when confronted with the competing interests of the traditionalists and the reformers.—
Gerald Posner,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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Furthermore, reformers considered window gardening as a practice that could help immigrants assimilate into American society.—
Sonja Dümpelmann,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demagogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demagogue. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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