scaremonger

[ skair-muhng-ger, -mong- ]

/ ˈskɛərˌmʌŋ gər, -ˌmɒŋ- /

noun

a person who creates or spreads alarming news.

Nearby words

scare up, scarecrow, scared, scaredy-cat, scarehead, scaremonger, scaremongering, scareware, scarf, scarf cloud, scarf joint

Origin of scaremonger

First recorded in 1885–90; scare + monger

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

Related forms

scare·mon·ger·ing, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for scaremongering

Now you might say this sounds like a whole lot of scaremongering, of “what about the children” shouting.
We Should Celebrate Social Media's Slaying of Robin Thicke|Tauriq Moosa|July 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Howard Kurtz on the scaremongering by television and local officials.
A Hurricane of Hype|Howard Kurtz|August 28, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The article, by Jonathan Strong, is rife with scaremongering, anonymously sourced accusations.
Presidents Can Have Migraines|Dana Goldstein|July 20, 2011|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for scaremongering

scaremonger

/ (ˈskɛəˌmʌŋɡə) /

noun

a person who delights in spreading rumours of disaster

Derived Forms

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