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to demagogue

to demagogue

6 9.4
To speak in a way that stirs up people's fears to win support
  • verb
  • /ˈdɛməˌɡɔɡ/
translation icon : hacer demagogia
  • So let's please not demagogue the hurricane.
  • demagogue an issue
  • Democrats demagogue
  • Republicans demagogue

Examples

  • The press is going to demagogue the tax cuts anyway unless we capitulate.

    Blog text (10)
  • Rather than debating a serious proposal, Kristof and The New York Times would rather demagogue anything that cuts government spending.

    Blog text (13)
  • The other side, who are going to do everything they can to defeat and demagogue these efforts, understand what is at stake.

    Blog text (7)
  • And we need to demagogue our opponents at every turn.

    Blog text (29)
  • But no, O'Reilly just wants to demagogue on this for all it's worth.

    Blog text (32)
  • Our job is not to demagogue but to lay out the facts as best we see them so people can make better-informed decisions.

    Blog text (26)
  • This issue could be easily dealt with if the Republicans didn't love to demagogue it so much for political purposes.

    Blog text (17)
  • The question facing us is whether extending the tax cuts another couple of years and being demagogued on it in 2014 is worth giving up spending cuts.

    Blog text (3)
  • So he doesn't care about our impending financial collapse, except insofar as he can demagogue it for political advantage.

    Blog text (6)
  • The politician tried to demagogue the issue to gain support for his campaign.

Synonyms

to stir up
vsto demagogue
48 4.8

To make people feel strong emotions like anger or fear

targets political influence and unfair gain rather than general provocation
to stir the pot
vsto demagogue
  • Informal
8 8.0

To cause trouble by saying things to make people argue

applies similar provocation but aims for unfair political influence
rabble-rousing
vsto demagogue
  • Literature
2 8.6

Making ordinary people angry or excited about politics

stirs emotions to influence people unfairly for political gain
to fearmonger
vsto demagogue
1 8.4

To make people feel afraid on purpose to change what they think or do

shares the manipulative aim but uses general emotional stirring, not only fear
to inflame public opinion
vsto demagogue
  • Literature
1 7.7

To make many people feel angry or shocked about something

uses emotional provocation more broadly to gain unfair political influence
to shit-stir
vsto demagogue
  • Offensive
9.9

To say or do things that cause arguments and make people angry

uses emotional stirring to gain political advantage rather than mere annoyance

Compounds

demagogue tactic
  • Literature
9.5

An unfair way a leader gains support by using people's fears and false promises

How Demagogic

to incite
  • NSFW
72 7.7
to demagogue
6 9.4
to persuade
472 2.7

Surface Forms

demagogue infinitive
demagogued past
demagogued past participle
demagoguing present participle
demagogues third person singular

Etymology

Demagogue as a verb comes from the same Greek parts demos 'people' and agogos 'leader', and it means to act like a demagogue — to try to gain support by stirring up people's fears and emotions instead of giving real arguments.