RABBLE-ROUSERS Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

rabble-rousers

noun

plural of rabble-rouser

as in agitators

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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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-rousers Being put on some list of rabble-rousers? — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2026 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 And still the Swedish rabble-rousers endure. — Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabble-rousers

Noun

Among the agitators were the workers at Sytin’s Moscow publishing house.

— James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
In Portsmouth, a group of far-right agitators first attempted to stop lifeboats from bringing the migrants onshore before seeking to block buses from taking the asylum seekers to a processing facility.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of agitators

Noun

Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, said Washington reached out to the rebels after their rapid advance down Yemen's western coast to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this month.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
The State Department issued a caution warning to Americans in the Middle East on Saturday night after Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a ballistic missile at an airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital.

— Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of rebels

Noun

Some of the nations attending the meeting in western Ukraine's Ivano-Frankivsk region, such as Poland and Romania, have been staunch supporters of Ukraine.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
The case drew national attention and became racially charged, with supporters of Anthony criticizing the lack of Black jurors and calling for his acquittal, while supporters of the Metcalf family gathered outside the courthouse seeking justice.

— James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of supporters

Noun

While promoters and venues wield great power over concert tours, experts say an artist of Sheeran’s magnitude generally has the final say about what happens concerning the shows.

— Tassanee Vejpongsa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Under this model, promoters must convince a genuinely private investor that their company represents a worthwhile investment opportunity.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of promoters

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
Global organizations navigate a complex landscape, prompting boards to evolve beyond traditional oversight into strategic provocateurs.

— Anna Marks, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of provocateurs

Noun

This included understanding the history of democratic ideas and practical governance, as well as the need to protect minority groups and the dangers posed by demagogues.

— Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 Sep. 2026
In recent years, totalizing ideologies such as communism, fascism, and Islamism have found dedicated audiences on social media, and the proliferation of demagogues manipulating people for malign ends is an ever-present worry.

— James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of demagogues

Noun

Hundreds joined the insurgents that day, and their numbers soon swelled into the thousands.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
Many of the 9/11 hijackers, for instance, initially went to Afghanistan with the intention to acquire skills and connections before traveling onward to Chechnya to fight alongside Chechen insurgents against Russian security forces.

— Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of insurgents

Noun

School choice proponents often say the rapid increase in participation only shows the enormous demand for such programs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
There are obvious health risks with this process, despite the insistence by a lot of gray market proponents that everything is safe.

— Kara McGrath, Allure, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of proponents

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“Rabble-rousers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabble-rousers. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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noun

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