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
Relevance
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 demagogue
So when a demagogue like Trump speaks to her pain and promises to bring factories back, of course her heart leaps.
—
Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2024
As a result, the very outcome the founders most feared, namely election of a demagogue by a gullible cult of true-believers, has been made possible because of the Electoral College, which was originally designed to avoid precisely that outcome.
—Joseph J. Ellis, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 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
These interviews position Trump less like an anti-democratic demagogue and more as a former fraternity president visiting his grandson’s pledge class, responding to dull, doe-eyed questions with sage-like wisdom.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2024
As a result, the very outcome the founders most feared, namely election of a demagogue by a gullible cult of true-believers, has been made possible because of the Electoral College, which was originally designed to avoid precisely that outcome.
—Joseph J. Ellis, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 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
These interviews position Trump less like an anti-democratic demagogue and more as a former fraternity president visiting his grandson’s pledge class, responding to dull, doe-eyed questions with sage-like wisdom.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demagogue
Noun
-
Following the Barnard students’ expulsion, more than 50 anti-Israel agitators took over a building on Barnard’s campus, echoing last year’s takeover of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University.—
Rachel Wolf,
Fox News,
4 Mar. 2025
-
These washers use a gentle tumbling action instead of the harsher action of a center agitator in a top-loading washer.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
In the 6th District, Trump is backing state Sen. Randy Fine, a conservative firebrand known for his support of Israel and his efforts to restrict LGBTQ+ rights.—
Kate Payne,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Jan. 2025
-
Despite his resignation from Congress, the House Ethics Committee released a report on the panel’s roughly three-and-a-half-year investigation into the firebrand Florida Republican.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
There’s much misinformation about who actually pays tariffs Trump is a proponent of tariffs, insisting that they are paid for by foreign countries.—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, is also a staunch free speech proponent.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The coming-of-age film tells the story of Ren (Bacon), a teen rebel who moves to a small Southern town that has outlawed dancing for religious reasons.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Besides, the Caribbean strife was thwarting trade and endangering American lives and livelihoods in the region. McKinley, sympathetic toward the rebels but not wanting war with Spain, dispatched a prominent Illinois trial lawyer to Cuba to study the situation and report back.—
Robert W. Merry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Like other concert promoters and talent buyers, Slusher does a lot of research before booking a band or solo artist.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Jamaican promoters Sunnation have perfected the art of the high-end breakfast party in both Trinidad and Jamaica, with their Jamaica fete ensconced as the place to see-and-be-seen at Jamaica Carnival each April.—
Baz Dreisinger,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
With Ai, Rebel: The Art and Activism of Ai Weiwei, Seattle Art Museum presents the provocateur’s largest-ever U.S. exhibition, gathering more than 130 works created over his 40-year career.—
Ellen Carpenter,
AFAR Media,
5 Mar. 2025
-
At the kick-off the veteran punk provocateurs’ Australian tour on Saturday (March 1) at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, Armstrong once again switched up the lyrics to one of the band’s songs to send a unequivocal, harsh message to the current American administration.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Seattle's sports scene offers a professional football team, an NHL franchise, a major league baseball team (which ended its 21-year playoff drought recently), and the four-time WNBA champions, the Seattle Storm.—
Melissa Santos,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Alex Walsh was a champion in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 breast, 200 free relay, 400 medley relay and 400 free relay.—
Casey Murphy,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
This was an unseasonable claim; Putin was then being hailed as an optimist, an internationalist, and a reformer.—
James Verini,
The New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Bensinger immediately distinguished himself as a reformer, implementing innovative approaches to rehabilitation and prisoners’ rights.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to demagogue
Cite this Entry
“Demagogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demagogue. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share