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rabble-rouser

rabble-rouser

6 8.5
A person who makes a crowd angry or excited about politics
  • noun
  • /ˈræbəlˌraʊzər/
  • Literature
translation icon : incitador
  • The rabble-rouser incited the crowd with promises of change and revolution.
  • the biggest rabble-rouser
  • a little rabble-rouser

They're fomenting all these kind of rabble rousers to to literally overthrow the the elected.

Examples

  • Joy and his fellow rabble-rousers succeeded in garnering attention.

    Academic text (2009)
  • With an unassuming, thoughtful manner, Carl Elliott hardly looks like a rabble-rouser.

    Blog text (27)
  • I know about these rabble-rousers.

  • All I need is another rabble-rouser.

  • Why would I want to go help a bunch of rabble-rousers?

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Perhaps this situation will provide an opportunity to separate the real educators from the union rabble-rousers.

    Blog text (32)
  • There's always a rabble-rouser stirring up trouble.

  • Sadek is not admired by Egyptian Copts, who consider him a dangerous rabble-rouser.

    Blog text (34)
  • Joe knew her then: Chelsea Brennan, fiery spokeswoman or rabble-rouser for the Green Earth Party, with a cult following all her own.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Ay-leen the Peacemaker (Diana M. Pho) is a fandom scholar, activist, blogger, and general rabble-rouser.

    Blog text (21)

Synonyms

demagogue
vsrabble-rouser
19 9.3

A political leader who gains support by stirring up people's fears and feelings

is any person who excites crowds, not necessarily a political leader
agitator
vsrabble-rouser
16 6.5

A person who stirs up strong public feelings for political change

focuses specifically on exciting crowds rather than organising sustained campaigns
provocateur
vsrabble-rouser
14 8.8

A person who on purpose causes trouble or makes others do wrong

seeks to inflame public feeling rather than merely provoke individual reactions
instigator
vsrabble-rouser
12 6.8

A person who starts trouble or urges others to act

focuses more on mass emotion and crowd incitement than just starting acts
firebrand
vsrabble-rouser
  • Formal
10 7.9

A person who tries to make others protest or cause trouble

stirs crowd emotions broadly, not always aiming for open rebellion
disturber
vsrabble-rouser
2 6.5

A person who interrupts people by making noise or causing trouble

acts by exciting public crowds emotionally rather than only causing disorder
provoker
vsrabble-rouser
1 7.5

A person who starts trouble on purpose to make others react

focuses on mass public emotion and crowd incitement rather than single acts
stirrer
vsrabble-rouser
  • Offensive
1 7.3

A person who spreads gossip to start arguments

works by stirring public emotion openly rather than using secret rumours
noisemaker
vsrabble-rouser
1 5.9

A person or group that attracts public attention by causing controversy

aims specifically to rouse crowds emotionally rather than only gain attention
fire-eater
vsrabble-rouser
  • Offensive
1 8.8

A person who speaks angrily and likes to start political arguments

inflames public feeling to mobilise crowds rather than only show belligerence
demagog
vsrabble-rouser
9.5

A political leader who gains support by using people's fears and unfair ideas instead of reason

is a person who excites crowds without needing official leadership status
fomenter
vsrabble-rouser
  • Formal
9.8

A person who causes political trouble by encouraging others to act against the government

targets public emotion generally rather than only political dissent
instigant
vsrabble-rouser
9.9

A person who on purpose makes others start trouble or fight

aims specifically at exciting public crowds rather than private conflicts
inflamer
vsrabble-rouser
8.9

A person who says things that make people angry or start fights

targets large public crowds and mass emotion rather than private disputes
fanner
vsrabble-rouser
7.4

A person who causes anger or arguments between people

aims more at public crowd incitement than gradual encouragement of feeling
vociferator
vsrabble-rouser
  • Formal
9.9

A person who shouts loudly to protest or attract attention

uses rhetoric to inflame crowds rather than only loud public speech
tub-thumper
vsrabble-rouser
  • Offensive
9.8

A person who shouts about a cause to get people to agree

focuses on exciting crowd emotions, not just forceful public speaking
popularist
vsrabble-rouser
8.3

A person who tries to win support by saying what many people want to hear

stirs public emotion generally, not only by exploiting popular prejudices
drama monger
vsrabble-rouser
  • Offensive
8.9

A person who makes small problems into big arguments

targets wider public emotion and crowd incitement rather than private drama

Antonyms

104 3.9

A person who leads a discussion to keep it fair

23 3.7

A person who helps end arguments and makes people agree

How Inciting

demagogue
19 9.3
agitator
16 6.5
rabble-rouser
  • Literature
6 8.5
activist
6 3.7
speaker
478 2.1

Surface Forms

rabble-rouser singular

Morphology

rabble-rouser = rabble + rouse (transparent) = rabble + rouse + er

The noun is formed by adding the agentive '-er' to the compound base 'rabble-rouse', so the meaning 'one who rouses the rabble' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Rabble-rouser comes from rabble, meaning 'a noisy crowd', and rouse, meaning 'to wake or stir up', so it describes someone who stirs up or excites a crowd, often for political reasons.