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demagogy

American  
[dem-uh-goh-jee, -gaw-jee, -goj-ee] / ˈdɛm əˌgoʊ dʒi, -ˌgɔ dʒi, -ˌgɒdʒ i /

noun

  1. Chiefly British. demagoguery.

  2. the character of a demagogue.

  3. a body of demagogues.


demagogy British  
/ ˈdɛməˌɡɒɡɪ /

noun

  1. demagoguery

  2. rule by a demagogue or by demagogues

  3. a group of demagogues

"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

Etymology

Origin of demagogy

1645–55; < Greek dēmagōgía leadership of the people, equivalent to dēmagōg ( ós ) demagogue + -ia -y 3

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.

See Examples For:

Mr Aiwanger's blunt style - to fans straight-talking, to critics dangerous demagogy - works well in beer tents and he makes even Bavaria's boisterous premier Markus Söder look stuffy.

From BBC Oct. 6, 2023

On the other hand, the movie is conspicuously wary of the powers of law enforcement and infused with a fear of demagogy.

From The New Yorker Dec. 12, 2019

It’s incumbent on its leadership to account for the failures and betrayals that led to this, and find a better way to address them than the demagogy on offer.

From New York Times May 3, 2016

The key ingredient, in both salesmanship and demagogy, is authenticity, or the ability to be true to oneself without being the least bit truthful.

From Slate May 1, 2016

But two or three generations of demagogy have created a race of corsairs who know every trick and secret of the trade.

From Jean-Christophe Journey's End by Cannan, Gilbert

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