as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
rabble-rousers inciting hungry people in breadlines to demand social justice
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Recent Examples of rabble-rouser
Columbia University's new president is already facing opposition from anti-Israel rabble-rousers, who have condemned her for previous actions taken against leftist encampments at her last college.
—
Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The rich rabble-rouser simply shifts to his next crusade.
—Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026
The president recently called U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a progressive Democratic rabble-rouser, to hash out this idea.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
And still the Swedish rabble-rousers endure.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
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
Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The rich rabble-rouser simply shifts to his next crusade.
—Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026
The president recently called U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a progressive Democratic rabble-rouser, to hash out this idea.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
And still the Swedish rabble-rousers endure.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabble-rouser
Noun
-
Lucas’s focus on getting paid brings him in for the book’s harshest criticism; Fischer casts him as a rebel turned sellout.—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
On the other hand, Bennu is the rebel — its glycine likely originated in frozen ice exposed to harsh radiation in the outer reaches of the solar system.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The political firebrand’s career, spanning 46 years in City Hall, came to an end last month when newcomer Rolando Escalona won the District 3 seat that Carollo and his younger brother Frank had occupied since 2009.—
Tess Riski
January 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In the 1980s, right-wing firebrands such as Jerry Falwell and Anita Bryant claimed that the AIDS epidemic was a plague sent by God to punish gay people.—
Hillary Rodham Clinton,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Sanders, who turned 84 in September, seems to have earned immunity from the party’s anti-gerontocratic agitators.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
First, there is the growing volume of anti-Wikipedia sentiment from right-wing agitators.—
Imogen West-Knights,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
From ancient sources philosophers and poets, democrats and demagogues, found justification for everything from anarchy to fascism, and there are reasons for both justifications.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Without a robust legitimacy narrative, demagogues fill the vacuum.—
Annelise Riles,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
One question has bothered Martin Ludlow in his decades as a concert and event promoter in Los Angeles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Independent producers and promoters rent its venues for their performances and events.—
E. Andrew Taylor,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Despite his history with direct-to-streaming releases, Timothée Chalamet is a proponent of the moviegoing experience.—
Christi Carras,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Both Nakamura and Carlsen are proponents of faster formats and are signed to esports teams.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The official channels to Censori have run through her husband’s company Yeezy, where Censori leads the architecture department, and through Milo Yiannopoulos, a far-right provocateur who had worked on Ye’s 2024 presidential campaign.—
Anna Peele,
Vanity Fair,
6 Feb. 2026
-
There were right-wing provocateurs coming to town.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To his excited supporters, Platner might just be the Democrats’ perfect populist insurgent for Maine.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Unless public land supporters in office act to clarify corner crossing in law, access will continue to shrink.—
Karlee Provenza,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rabble-rouser.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabble-rouser. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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