rabble-rouser

noun

ˈra-bəl-ˌrau̇-zər How to pronounce rabble-rouser (audio)
Definition of rabble-rousernext
as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent rabble-rousers inciting hungry people in breadlines to demand social justice

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rabble-rouser Bryce Young makes the placid Brock Purdy look like a rabble-rouser at the podium. — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 22 Nov. 2025 There are also rabble-rousers at the site, yelling expletives as heavily armed federal officers survey them on the sidewalk from a perch up on the roof. — Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025 Most of these commentators, influencers, and rabble-rousers operate outside the mainstream-media spotlight, yet their influence is vast, shaping how the next generation thinks about race, gender, government, and truth itself. — Clara Molot, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025 But the hard-right caucus, typically the House rabble-rousers and thorns in Johnson’s side, are all-in on the rescissions package as vocal supporters of DOGE. — Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rabble-rouser
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabble-rouser
  1. rebel
  2. firebrand
  3. agitator
  4. demagogue
  5. promoter
  6. proponent
  7. provocateur
  8. supporter
Noun
  • Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed an attack on Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery Sunday, a major crude oil refinery located on the Red Sea coast in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
    — Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Attacks could draw retaliation and reignite Yemen’s war Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, forcing the government into exile.
    — Fatma Khaled, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebel
Noun
  • If the conservative base continues to demand ideological purity, pushing polarizing firebrands into a general election, the result will always be an immediate, lopsided blowout.
    — Dain Fitzgerald, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The speech that followed created the perception of her as a firebrand, but those who have followed her career closely have found a more circumspect figure.
    — Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 July 2026
Definition of firebrand
Noun
  • Naturally, Cornyn’s increasing role as a White House agitator and swing vote hasn’t gone over well with the MAGA base.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026
  • Some of the speculation comes from state workers who are unhappy with the governor’s decision, the moderator said, but the subreddit’s activity also attracts outside agitators who are obviously not government employees.
    — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of agitator
Noun
  • The Constitution was crafted out of fear — fear of concentrated power, factional dominance, corruption, demagogues, unchecked executives, and the use of public office for personal gain.
    — Paul Oestreicher, Hartford Courant, 10 June 2026
  • But those standards can be easily stretched by demagogues, and a simple majority on the committee is enough to ban a party, though a panel of nine Supreme Court justices can overturn the decision on appeal.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Definition of demagogue
Noun
  • The order is the latest in a long-running SEBI probe into Zee’s promoters.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Lollapalooza’s promoter, C3 Presents, is now on the hook for the cleanup, including what could be a costly restoration of Grant Park’s grass, which had disappeared under the crowds by the festival’s third day.
    — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of promoter
Noun
  • But lawmakers appear to be turning to the provisions as a means of transitioning away from that model and toward what proponents, including Netanyahu, describe as a mutually beneficial defense partnership.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Although proponents say the substances help with weight loss, energy and muscle mass, and often cite research that has been done solely on animals or on a very small number of humans, no one knows for certain how or when it should be used in humans.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of proponent
Noun
  • The faux outrage was egged on by professional right-wing provocateurs like Robby Starbuck, Benny Johnson and a leading investor in MAGA darling Steak n’ Shake.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • In the movie, out July 31, Hoffman plays fresh college grad Elliot, who lands an exciting job for renowned artist and provocateur Erika Tracy (Wilde).
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 30 July 2026
Definition of provocateur
Noun
  • Freezing dormant coins, supporters argue, beats letting a future quantum thief drain them and dump them on the market.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • After spending last summer in the heat of Hong Kong and South Korea, where the Tottenham supporter base is large and fervent, opting for Australia and New Zealand offered a welcome change of pace.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of supporter

Browse Nearby Words

rabblement
rabble-rouser
rabble-rousers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rabble-rouser.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabble-rouser. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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