scaremonger

[ skair-muhng-ger, -mong- ]
/ ˈskɛərˌmʌŋ gər, -ˌmɒŋ- /

noun

a person who creates or spreads alarming news.

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Also called fear·mon·ger [feer-muhng-ger, -mong-] /ˈfɪərˌmʌŋ gər, -ˌmɒŋ-/.

Origin of scaremonger

First recorded in 1885–90; scare + monger

OTHER WORDS FROM scaremonger

scare·mon·ger·ing, noun

Words nearby scaremonger

scare quotes, scare up, scarecrow, scaredy-cat, scarehead, scaremonger, scareware, scarf, scarf cloud, scarf joint, scarfe
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for fearmonger

  • That was the heart of the shtick: Stewart calling for calm reasonableness, Colbert playing the fearmonger.

    The Day D.C. Went Sane|Howard Kurtz|October 30, 2010|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for fearmonger

scaremonger
/ (ˈskɛəˌmʌŋɡə) /

noun

a person who delights in spreading rumours of disaster

Derived forms of scaremonger

scaremongering, noun
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