rabble-rousing

American  

[rab-uhl-rou-zing] / ˈræb əlˌraʊ zɪŋ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a rabble-rouser.

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noun

1. an instance or the practice of stirring up the passions or prejudices of the public.

Etymology

Origin of rabble-rousing

First recorded in 1795–1805

Explanation

A rabble-rousing politician deliberately gets their audience worked up into an angry frenzy. Sometimes a rabble-rousing speech even inspires listeners to violence. A skilled public speaker can powerfully capture people's attention and inspire them to take action, get involved, or vote a certain way. A rabble-rousing speaker does nearly the same thing, but their goal is to get a crowd aggressively angry. They do this by manipulating the audience's prejudices and fears. Rabble-rousing, which dates back to the early 19th century, is from rabble, "pack of animals," and rouse, "to stir up or awaken."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rabble-rousing

She first gained attention as one of the rabble-rousing and much-hyped Young British Artists of the early 1990s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

The audience isn’t ready to say goodbye to her rabble-rousing activist Perfidia Beverly Hills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026

They were treated to a set of raucous, rabble-rousing electro-rap, and responded by setting off smoke flares and moshing in giant rippling circles of bodies.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2025

Sinema’s political career began as a rabble-rousing anti-war activist.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2024

Sometimes referred to as the “Wild Man from Birmingham,” Shuttlesworth has been described as an “unpolished, rabble-rousing Baptist preacher.”

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

Related Words

• inflammatory
• provocative
• subversive
• treacherous