fear-mongering
Stoking public terror
Fear-mongering is the deliberate spreading of frightening or alarming information to manipulate public opinion or provoke anxiety.
Politicians and media figures are frequently accused of fear-mongering when they emphasize worst-case scenarios: Critics called the campaign ad pure fear-mongering.
The related noun fearmonger describes someone who engages in this practice.
Also spelled fearmongering.
Overhyped news coverage
- clickbaitSensationalized content for traffic
- headlinesArticle titles in newspapers
- coverageExtent of inclusion
- tabloidSensationalist newspaper format
hysteria · panic · 24-hour · ratings · exaggeration · alarming · hype · viewers
Underhanded control of others
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
- threatsDeclarations of intended harm
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- propagandaBiased information for influence
disinformation · lies · exaggeration · distortion · cherry-picking · conspiracy · paranoia · doom-and-gloom
Biased information for influence
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- nationalismDevotion to one's country
xenophobia · populism · fearmongering · alarmism · polarization · election · rallies · soundbites
Refusal to accept reality
- alarmismNeedless raising of fears
- apocalypseTotal civilizational collapse
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- doomsdayProphesied world's end
extinction · collapse · crisis · hoax · skepticism · activism · predictions · models
sensationalism
Overhyped news coverage
- clickbaitSensationalized content for traffic
- headlinesArticle titles in newspapers
- coverageExtent of inclusion
tabloid · hysteria · panic · 24-hour · ratings · exaggeration · alarming · hype · viewers · misinformation
manipulation
Underhanded control of others
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
- threatsDeclarations of intended harm
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
propaganda · disinformation · lies · exaggeration · distortion · cherry-picking · conspiracy · paranoia · doom-and-gloom · worst-case
propaganda
Biased information for influence
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
nationalism · xenophobia · populism · fearmongering · alarmism · polarization · election · rallies · soundbites · inflammatory
denial
Refusal to accept reality
- alarmismNeedless raising of fears
- apocalypseTotal civilizational collapse
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
doomsday · extinction · collapse · crisis · hoax · skepticism · activism · predictions · models · disaster
anti-vaccine
Opposed to immunizations
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
plague · contagion · pseudoscience · quackery · side-effects · toxins · chemicals · FDA · natural · organic
- xenophobiaxenophobia, nativism, anti-immigrant, anti-immigration, bigotry
- incitementinciting, instigating, provoking, incitement, instigation
- anti-vaccineanti-vax, anti-vaxxer, anti-vaxxers, vaccine refusal, vaccine hesitancy
fear-mongeringreassurance
Words meant to calm
calming · encouragement · inspiration · confidence-building · optimism
fear, fears, feared, fearing, fearful, fearfully, fearfulness, fearless, fearlessly