propagandist

1 of 2

noun

pro·​pa·​gan·​dist ˌprä-pə-ˈgan-dist How to pronounce propagandist (audio)
ˌprō-
plural propagandists
: someone who produces or spreads propaganda : a person who spreads ideas, facts, or allegations deliberately to further a cause or to damage an opposing cause
left-wing/right-wing propagandists
From the mid-1860s on through the 1870s, Jesse had the help of a propagandist, a former Confederate major named John Newman Edwards, who switched to journalism and did all he could to promote Jesse as a kind of rebel knight errant.Larry McMurtry

propagandist

2 of 2

adjective

variants or propagandistic
: of, relating to, or being propaganda : characterized by ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further a cause or to damage an opposing cause
propagandist rhetoric
propagandistic art
"… I like Jacques-Louis David a lot, too, although he was a propagandist painter. …"Bob Dylan
Accompanying text reported the outstanding political and economic achievements of the Party and detailed propagandistic speeches at length.Linda Jensen
Yes, this film is propagandist in nature, but is at the same time a documentary.Matt Campbell
propagandistically adverb

Examples of propagandist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
This has been amplified by Kremlin propagandists who frequently call for nuclear strikes against Western capitals. Michael D. Carroll and Brendan Cole, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024 Candidates like Trump, attorneys like Chesebro, TV stars like Sean Hannity, and streaming propagandist like Tucker Carlson sowed so much chaos and confusion that voters and viewers couldn’t tell what was true anymore. Brian Stelter, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Stamps are also used for more expressly political or propagandist purposes. Andrea Valdez, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2024 Russia has relied on a litany of propagandist tactics to garner support and shield the reality of the war from its own population. Caitlin McFall, Fox News, 24 May 2022 See all Example Sentences for propagandist 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from French propagandiste, from propagande propaganda + -iste -ist entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1792, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of propagandist was in 1792

Dictionary Entries Near propagandist

Cite this Entry

“Propagandist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propagandist. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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