demagogue

also dem·a·gog (dĕm'ə-gôg', -gŏg')
n.

1. A leader who obtains power by means of impassioned appeals to the emotions and prejudices of the populace.
2. A leader of the common people in ancient times.

tr.v., -gogued, also -goged, -gogu·ing, -go·ging, -gogues, -gogs.
Usage Problem. To speak about (an issue, for example) in the manner of a demagogue.

[Greek dēmagōgos, popular leader : dēmos, people + agōgos, leading (from agein, to lead).]

USAGE NOTE   Among the nouns that the Usage Panel is loath to see used as a verb is demagogue, meaning "to speak about something in the manner of a demagogue." Ninety-four percent reject it in the sentence The President will demagogue Medicare, unwilling to acknowledge that fundamental reforms need to be made. Resistance to the use of traditional nouns as verbs is sometimes strong, especially when the novel usages are associated with business or bureaucratic jargon.

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Like democracy, the idea of a demagogue has its roots in the ambiguous Greek word demos meaning ‘the people’, but in the sense of either ‘the population’ or ‘the mob’. Thus a demagogue was, even in classical times, the leader of the mob, but also the leader of a popular state in which sovereignty was vested in the whole adult male citizenry. In this defunct, neutral, sense all modern Western leaders are, to some degree, demagogues. But the modern significance of the idea of a demagogue lies in its pejorative sense, as the leader of a mob, with the implication that those who rouse the rabble always do so for ignoble purposes.

— Lincoln Allison

(dem-uh-gog, dem-uh-gawg)

A politician who seeks to win and hold office by appeals to mass prejudice. Demagogues often use lies and distortion. (See Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.)

IN BRIEF: A leader who attempts to gain a following by appealing to the emotions and prejudices of people in order to advance his or her political purposes.

They considered the candidate to be a demagogue, not a statesman.

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For a list of words related to demagogue, see:

• Politicians and Activists - demagogue: one who appeals to and manipulates mass prejudice
• Morality or Character

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See words rhyming with "demagogue."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Demagogue.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - demagog, folkeforfører

Nederlands (Dutch)
demagoog (volksmenner)

Français (French)
n. - démagogue

Deutsch (German)
n. - Demagoge, Volksverführer

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - δημαγωγός, λαοπλάνος

Italiano (Italian)
demagogo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - demagogo (m)

Русский (Russian)
демагог

Español (Spanish)
n. - demagogo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - demagog, folkledare

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
煽动者, 群众煽动者

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 煽動者, 群眾煽動者

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 선동가, 민중 지도자

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 扇動政治家

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قائد سياسي يستغل الظلم العام والوعود الكاذبه لإثارة عاطفه الناس, والفوز بدعمهم‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮דמגוג‬

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