demagogue
19
9.3
- noun
- /ˈdɛməˌɡɔɡ/
:
demagogo
- The demagogue manipulated the crowd's fears to gain their support without presenting logical arguments.
- populist demagogues
But in this, you know, concoction of, of serious concerns, it's easy for a demagogue to flourish.
- But in this, you know, concoction of, of serious concerns, it's easy for a demagogue to flourish.
- Unfortunately, demagogues have harnessed that in a way that is pretty destructive to the country.
- And that's then that's going to be a ripe opportunity for an ideological demagogue to be elected and to ransack democracy.
Examples
-
Berlusconi is a crooked nationalist demagogue who's been bilking Italy since Clinton's presidency.
Blog text (8) -
Such conditions may be conducive to the rise of populist demagogues or military coups.
Academic text (1991) -
Remember Kennedy, popular with the people -- a demagogue has that advantage over responsible legislators.
Fiction book (1990) -
Obama fits the classical definition of a demagogue; it goes all the way back to Aristotle.
Blog text (12) -
Unfortunately, demagogues have harnessed that in a way that is pretty destructive to the country.
-
And there is where the demagogues and the populist will move in and they will present their own version of fascism.
-
We must also work together to counter the propaganda of demagogues who threaten the security and prosperity of the Americas.
Academic text (2007) -
Public favor could be won by demagogues appealing to self-interest or transitory emotions.
Academic text (1997) -
As Ignatieff tells the story, the demagogue Slobodan Milosevic, in a grab for power, successfully appealed to Serbs' fears.
Academic text (1998) -
Political sects tend, collectively, to be excessively tolerant of extremists, simpletons, and demagogues with whom they feel some kinship.
Academic text (1991)
Synonyms
6
8.5
A person who makes a crowd angry or excited about politics
A political leader who gains support by using people's fears and unfair ideas instead of reason
A person who tries to win support by saying what many people want to hear
Antonyms
- Jargon
3
7.2
A person in an online community who uses evidence and probability to make better decisions
Compounds
- Literature
An unfair way a leader gains support by using people's fears and false promises
How Demagogic
- Formal
10
7.9
- Literature
6
8.5
19
9.3
23
7.0
∞
2.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
demagogue = demo + agogue
The components are recognisable Greek combining forms suggesting 'people-leader', but '-agogue' is not a productive standalone English morpheme and the modern negative/connotative sense is not fully predictable for average learners.
Etymology
Demagogue comes from the Greek parts demos 'people' and agogos 'leader', and you can see demos in the word democracy. Originally it meant a leader of the people, but over time it came to mean someone who wins support by stirring up people's fears and strong feelings instead of using good arguments, which is why a demagogue has a negative meaning today.