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
Many of the systems designed to constrain just such a demagogue have failed, with deferential courts in particular having let the former and soon-to-be president skate on nakedly anti-democratic conduct.
—
Orlando Sentinel and New York Daily News Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Orlando Sentinel and New York Daily News Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for demagogue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demagogue
Noun
-
The continent’s staunchest ally and partner, the United States, has turned its back and emerged as an agitator, perhaps even an adversary.—
Martin Gutmann,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
-
At first, the government tried to ignore the protests, then began to use force and accused the protests of being infiltrated by foreign agitators.—
Michael Dorgan,
Fox News,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The new firebrand of an acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia promises to bring sweeping changes to how the nation’s capital uses the city’s prosecutorial tools.—
Emily Hallas,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
9 Mar. 2025
-
The firebrand Houston lawmaker’s colleagues voted 224-198 to hit him with what amounts to a slap on the wrist over his cane-waving interruption of Trump on Tuesday night.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Apple has long been a vocal proponent of the sanctity of its users’ personal data.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
-
George Fishman, senior legal fellow at the conservative Center of Immigration Studies and former deputy general counsel at Department of Homeland Security during the first Trump administration, has been a strong proponent of the act.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
15 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
-
In February 2024, Ayala announced the tour El Principio de un Final, which was not completed due to differences with the promoter.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Money usually bets on the founder, not on the promoter.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While some men are jumping on board, the most popular of these creators—which range from nobodies doing voiceovers to far-right provocateurs like Candance Owens and Megyn Kelly—are women speaking to other women.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The skepticism had some basis—Gaga really did borrow from musical provocateurs before her (the foremost being, yes, Madonna).—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Following a split decision loss to future UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in April 2018, Vettori put together a five-fight unbeaten streak.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
-
But, after his post-fight social media messages prompted some direct criticism from the new champion, Prochazka now only has eyes for a fight with Ankalaev.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 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 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share