demagogic
Appealing to mobs
Demagogic describes leaders or rhetoric that appeals to popular prejudices rather than reason.
A demagogic politician exploits fears and resentments, offering simple scapegoats for complex problems: His demagogic speeches blamed immigrants for every economic hardship.
The word carries strong disapproval—it suggests manipulation of the masses through emotion rather than honest argument.
Advocate for ordinary citizens
- inflammatoryTending to provoke outrage
- rabble-rousingInciting mob sentiment
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
sloganeering · oversimplifying · emotional · manipulative · divisive · bombastic · incendiary · provocative
Unfairly assigning fault to innocents
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
- panderingAppealing to lowest impulses
- flatteringExcessively praising, often insincerely
- promisingShowing signs of success
lying · distorting · exaggerating · demonizing · othering · simplifying · exploiting · manipulating
Favoring absolute control
- strongmanPowerful lifter or despot
- dictatorialImposing absolute control
- fascisticResembling oppressive nationalism
- tyrannicalExercising power unjustly
autocratic · despotic · Mussolini · McCarthy · opportunistic · power-hungry · charismatic · nationalist
populist
Advocate for ordinary citizens
- inflammatoryTending to provoke outrage
- rabble-rousingInciting mob sentiment
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
scapegoating · sloganeering · oversimplifying · emotional · manipulative · divisive · bombastic · incendiary · provocative · sensationalist
scapegoating
Unfairly assigning fault to innocents
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
- panderingAppealing to lowest impulses
- flatteringExcessively praising, often insincerely
promising · lying · distorting · exaggerating · demonizing · othering · simplifying · exploiting · manipulating · deceiving
authoritarian
Favoring absolute control
- strongmanPowerful lifter or despot
- dictatorialImposing absolute control
- fascisticResembling oppressive nationalism
tyrannical · autocratic · despotic · Mussolini · McCarthy · opportunistic · power-hungry · charismatic · nationalist · tribalist
demagogicreasoned
Derived through careful thought
rational · logical · evidence-based · deliberative · dispassionate
demagogicstatesmanlike
Befitting a wise leader
principled · honest · sincere · forthright · truthful
demagogicstatesmanly
Befitting a skilled leader
diplomatic · conciliatory · unifying · bipartisan · moderate