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
The Hause Family Campfire is the traditional Friday night closer of SUH, and this year’s guitar pull featured the Hauses, Sean Bonnette of the group AJJ, Tim McIlrath from hardcore rabble-rousers Rise Against, and newcomer Jon Muq.
—
Trip McClatchy, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025
Teaming up with counterculture rabble-rouser Jerry Rubin, Lennon and Ono speak of peace and love with a naïveté that is both poignant and inspiring.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Every decade in fact seems to have had its own rabble-rouser whose shunning of norms have pushed the medium further and further, even if their own material was too out-there to gain a wide audience.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2025
Senate fiscal hawks are making a steep set of demands in negotiations over the debt ceiling, driving an even harder bargain than the House rabble-rousers who won $2 trillion in cuts.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2025
Back when the group was starting out, Mayor Koch sent the city’s coordinator for criminal justice, Robert Keating, to embed with Sliwa and get a read on this rabble-rouser.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Paul’s ability to maintain his standing in the party despite being among his conference’s rabble-rousers, such as Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ron Johnson (R-WI), is in part thanks to his public willingness to air his grievances.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Mar. 2025
In the week leading up to the 2001 Daytona 500, Hinton was portrayed as a rabble-rouser and a muckraker by NASCAR and its fans.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2025
This year, the Super Bowl booked Compton firebrand Kendrick Lamar, offering a former award-show rabble-rouser an audience with President Trump in attendance.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
Trip McClatchy, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025
Teaming up with counterculture rabble-rouser Jerry Rubin, Lennon and Ono speak of peace and love with a naïveté that is both poignant and inspiring.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Every decade in fact seems to have had its own rabble-rouser whose shunning of norms have pushed the medium further and further, even if their own material was too out-there to gain a wide audience.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2025
Senate fiscal hawks are making a steep set of demands in negotiations over the debt ceiling, driving an even harder bargain than the House rabble-rousers who won $2 trillion in cuts.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2025
Back when the group was starting out, Mayor Koch sent the city’s coordinator for criminal justice, Robert Keating, to embed with Sliwa and get a read on this rabble-rouser.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Paul’s ability to maintain his standing in the party despite being among his conference’s rabble-rousers, such as Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ron Johnson (R-WI), is in part thanks to his public willingness to air his grievances.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Mar. 2025
In the week leading up to the 2001 Daytona 500, Hinton was portrayed as a rabble-rouser and a muckraker by NASCAR and its fans.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2025
This year, the Super Bowl booked Compton firebrand Kendrick Lamar, offering a former award-show rabble-rouser an audience with President Trump in attendance.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabble-rouser
Noun
-
Also starring Jamie Lee Curtis, the original 2003 flick found Lohan’s character — a teenage rebel who fronts a rock band called Pink Slip — magically switching bodies with her mother.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
28 May 2025
-
Bo was a rebel on a motorcycle who soon fell for the rich and spirited Hope.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
The audience lapped up everything this firebrand 5-foot-tall Indian auntie had to say.—
Sarah Khan,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
Even in a ruby red Georgia community represented by conservative firebrand and immigration hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress, Arias Cristobal's arrest has made many uneasy.—
May 14,
CBS News,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
What’s important with Harvard, and with all schools, is that Presidents, Senators, experts and agitators more broadly should stay out of their admission decisions.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
Standing water can encourage mildew or algae growth and invite mosquitoes, so consider buying some copper cleaning disks or a water agitator to keep the water clean for longer.—
Paige Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
Fever’s music partners include standout names such as Primavera Sound, Fabrik, Last Tour, Cercle and TCE Presents, while Dice is trusted by such venues, festivals, and promoters as Club Space, Newport Jazz and Folk Festival, Sonar, London’s Alexandra Palace and Rough Trade globally.—
Thania Garcia,
Variety,
5 June 2025
-
Local promoters Flip Phone Events began offering drag brunches in 2015 and have since expanded into 19 other states and Washington, D.C.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
3 June 2025
Noun
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It can be applied to any of a number of demagogues including President Trump.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
30 May 2025
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Their picks examine the power of demagogues, the injustices of the immigration system, the reasons protest movements have failed, and the fear of others.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
The administration's actions, including the revocation of thousands of student visas, have drawn concern over infringements on free speech, while proponents view the move as a long overdue federal response to concerns over antisemitism.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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The chief proponent of allowing hemp businesses to operate with further regulations in Springfield, Rep. La Shawn Ford, said lawmakers could not reach agreement over whether to ban or regulate hemp.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Of all the larger-than-life agitators and provocateurs to come out of Flint, Michigan, in the past few years, he’s become one of the best rappers of the bunch.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
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Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur and conspiracy theorist, saw an opportunity to position herself as the voice of reason.—
Chris Megerian,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Pachuca is roughly 60 miles (90km) north east of Mexico City in the neighbouring state of Hidalgo, but the two sides that its football club’s supporters loathe the most are located in the capital — Club America and Cruz Azul.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
-
Cyrus' supporters came to her defense after videos of the moment went viral on social media.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rabble-rouser.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabble-rouser. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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