rabble-rouser

American

[rab-uhl-rou-zer] / ˈræb əlˌraʊ zər /

noun

a person who stirs up the passions or prejudices of the public, usually for self-interested reasons; demagogue.

rabble-rouser British

noun

a person who manipulates the passions of the mob; demagogue

"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

Other Word Forms

rabble-rousing adjective

Etymology

Origin of rabble-rouser

First recorded in 1835–45

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.

It’s not that Fennell isn’t good at playing the rabble-rouser, as many have alleged.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026

There is some scepticism that the teenage Merz was much of a rabble-rouser.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2025

Smalls is a decidedly charismatic rabble-rouser in the momentous year “Union” chronicles.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2024

Ferguson has been a steady conservative, but not a right-wing rabble-rouser.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024

“This rabble-rouser is part of your family. And there she is. Out there. Rousing the rabble.”

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

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