demagogy · noun — rule by demagogue. It carries an Arena rating of 1317, earned across 58 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, demagogy ranks #1,171 of 17,146 for Most Storied Words, #1,573 of 17,176 for Most Incisive Words, #2,959 of 17,188 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #4,522 of 17,187 for Most Malleable Words.
demagogy is pronounced /ˈdɛməˌɡɒɡi/.
Why “demagogy” is a great word
DEMAGOGY — [Noun] The political practice of manipulating a populace by appealing to base desires and prejudices with inflammatory rhetoric, eschewing reason for raw emotional leverage. From Ancient Greek δημαγωγία (dēmagōgía), from δῆμος (dêmos, "the people") and ἀγωγός (agōgós, "leading, guide"). First attested in English in the 1650s. Unlike statesmanship, which builds toward a common good with integrity, or pedagogy, which seeks to enlighten through instruction, demagogy is a pedagogy of the id, teaching only fear and resentment. It is the coiled promise in a shouted lie, the incandescent rage curated at a rally, the sour taste left after a speech that stirs the heart but numbs the mind—the ancient art of turning a populace into a weapon against itself.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek δημαγωγία (dēmagōgía). By surface analysis, demagogue + y.
noun
- Rule by demagogue.
- A polity ruled by a demagogue.
- The quality of being a demagogue.
- The actions of a demagogue.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
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