misleaders
Those who misdirect
Misleaders are people who lead others astray—through deception, bad advice, or false guidance.
The word appears in religious and political contexts, where those in authority may deliberately or negligently direct followers toward error: The misleaders shall answer for the harm they caused.
Less common than the verb mislead or the noun misleading.
Pretenders to special knowledge
- impostorsThose falsely claiming identity
- fraudsDeceptive acts or impostors
- swindlersDeceivers who steal through trickery
- con-artistsFraudsters who manipulate victims
tricksters · hoaxers · scammers · cheats · quacks · mountebanks · fraudsters · grifters
Those who steal entrusted funds
- graftIllicit political gain
- profiteersThose gaining from hardship
- extortionistsThose who coerce payment
- kleptocratsLeaders enriching themselves corruptly
racketeers · nepotists · cronies · skimmers · fraudsters · swindlers · pilferers · crooks
Politicians manipulating mass emotion
- disinformersThose who spread deliberate falsehoods
- indoctrinatorsThose who instill dogma
- brainwashersThose who forcibly alter beliefs
- peddlersMobile small-scale merchants
zealots · ideologues · radicalizers · inciters · subversives · agitprop · fearmongers · hatemongers
Creating false impressions
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
- dishonestInclined to deceive
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- manipulativeSkilled at controlling others
scheming · devious · underhanded · duplicitous · treacherous · insidious · calculating · unscrupulous
Crafty plot makers
- puppeteersControllers of jointed figures
- exploitersThose who abuse others
- controllersThose who direct operations
- plottersThose devising secret plans
operators · connivers · influencers · handlers · fixers · power-brokers · orchestrators · masterminds
charlatans
Pretenders to special knowledge
- impostorsThose falsely claiming identity
- fraudsDeceptive acts or impostors
- swindlersDeceivers who steal through trickery
con-artists · tricksters · hoaxers · scammers · cheats · quacks · mountebanks · fraudsters · grifters · hustlers
embezzlers
Those who steal entrusted funds
- graftIllicit political gain
- profiteersThose gaining from hardship
- extortionistsThose who coerce payment
kleptocrats · racketeers · nepotists · cronies · skimmers · fraudsters · swindlers · pilferers · crooks
demagogues
Politicians manipulating mass emotion
- disinformersThose who spread deliberate falsehoods
- indoctrinatorsThose who instill dogma
- brainwashersThose who forcibly alter beliefs
peddlers · zealots · ideologues · radicalizers · inciters · subversives · agitprop · fearmongers · hatemongers · gaslighters
deceptive
Creating false impressions
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
- dishonestInclined to deceive
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
manipulative · scheming · devious · underhanded · duplicitous · treacherous · insidious · calculating · unscrupulous · guileful
schemers
Crafty plot makers
- puppeteersControllers of jointed figures
- exploitersThose who abuse others
- controllersThose who direct operations
plotters · operators · connivers · influencers · handlers · fixers · power-brokers · orchestrators · masterminds · instigators
misleaderstruth-tellers
Those who state facts
truthtellers · honest brokers · straight shooters · illuminators · clarifiers
misleadersprotectors
Those who guard others
guardians · benefactors · advocates · champions · stewards