Pied Piper
Americannoun
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the hero of a German folk legend, popularized in The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1842) by Robert Browning.
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Sometimes pied piper a person who induces others to follow or imitate them, especially by means of false or extravagant promises.
noun
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Also called: the Pied Piper of Hamelin. (in German legend) a piper who rid the town of Hamelin of rats by luring them away with his music and then, when he was not paid for his services, lured away its children
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(sometimes not capitals) a person who entices others to follow him
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.
When McCormick asked them to explain the connection to Pied Piper, she said, “they didn’t know. It’s AI.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Tonight DesJarlais acts as the DJ, emcee and Pied Piper of the event.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2024
“If the right Pied Piper comes along then folks can be mobilized, sometimes with very devastating consequences,” Uscinski said.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 8, 2024
My question is why so many people love him and turn him into their Pied Piper.
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2024
Like the Pied Piper, I’ll lead them farther and farther away from the transport and the Collective with my stories.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
