Cleon

American

[klee-on] / ˈkli ɒn /

noun

died 422 b.c., Athenian general and political opponent of Pericles.

Cleon British

/ ˈkliːɒn /

noun

died 422 _bc , Athenian demagogue and military leader

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The war comes to be defined by the Spartan general Brasidas, who goes on to wrong-foot Thucydides in 424 B.C., and Cleon, who may have engineered Thucydides’ exile.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

There is a stop sign on Cleon Avenue where it meets Saticoy Street, which has a center turn lane but no traffic signal or stop sign at the location.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2025

Comedies like “The Acharnians” and “Lysistrata” critiqued ongoing wars, while “The Knights” ridiculed demagogues such as Cleon.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2025

Cleon Jones threw to Wayne Garrett, and the shortstop relayed to Hodges, who tagged Richie Zisk trying to score from first, what became known as the “Ball on the wall play.”

From Washington Times • Nov. 24, 2023

“King Cleon is most generous. You may thank him for his lovely gift.”

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023