3 syllables: De, ma, gogue. Stress on De.
DEM-uh-gahg
/ˈdɛməˌɡɑɡ/
Demagogue is pronounced DEM-uh-gahg (/ˈdɛməˌɡɑɡ/). It has three syllables (De-ma-gogue), with the stress on "De". Demagogue (noun): a political leader who seeks support by appealing to the passions, fears, and prejudices of the public rather than by using rational arguments. Such figures often manipulate rhetoric to sway opinion and mobilize crowds. The term carries negative connotations related to demagoguery and manipulation.
nounDemagogue (noun): a political leader who seeks support by appealing to the passions, fears, and prejudices of the public rather than by using rational arguments. Such figures often manipulate rhetoric to sway opinion and mobilize crowds. The term carries negative connotations related to demagoguery and manipulation.
- You’ll tend to fuse the middle /mə/ with the first or last syllable, making it sound like /ˈdɛm.məɡ/; slow down and stress the middle vowel as a standalone schwa. - Final /ɡ/ can be softened or devoiced; keep a clear, voiced /ɡ/ with release. - The ending may be pronounced as /-ɡoʊɡ/ or /-ɡɒɡ/? Standardize to /-ɡɒɡ/ and avoid Americanized /-ɡoʊɡ/ in formal contexts. – Tip: practice with minimal pairs to anchor the /æ/ vs /ə/ and ensure the final consonant is not swallowed.
"The politician became a demagogue, feeding the crowd’s anger with incendiary rhetoric."
"Critics warned that the demagogue exploited fear to undermine democratic processes."
"During the campaign, the demagogue used simple slogans to oversimplify complex issues."
Pronunciation: /ˈdɛm.əˌɡɒɡ/ in US and UK, with primary stress on the first syllable and secondary on the third in some variants; AU aligns closely with UK. Break it into de- ma- goose? No, it’s de-MA-gogue, with the gogue sounding like ‘goat’ without the t, and the second syllable is a schwa. Audio references: consult Cambridge/Oxford pronunciations; you’ll hear the stress on the first syllable and a clear /ɡɒɡ/ ending. Mouth position: start with a wide-open front vowel for /dɛ/ or /ˈdɛm/, then a light /ə/ in the second syllable, and finish with a hard /ɡɒɡ/ with closed lips.
Common errors: (1) placing stress on the second syllable as de-MA-gogue instead of the standard de-MA-go-; (2) mispronouncing /ɡɒɡ/ as /ɡoʊɡ/ or /goɡ/; (3) neutralizing the final /ɡ/ or pronouncing it as /k/ in some dialects. Correction: keep the final /g/ clear, don’t vowel-schwa after it, and maintain the /ɒ/ vowel before the final /ɡ/. Practice saying /ˈdɛm.əˌɡɒɡ/ with sharp, brief /ɡ/ release at the end.
US tendency: /ˈdɛm.əˌɡɒɡ/ with a rhotacized influence on surrounding vowels in some speakers; UK/AU share /ˈdɛm.ə.ɡɒɡ/ with non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech. The main differences are the potential secondary stress placement and vowel quality in the first syllable: US often uses a slightly closer /ə/ in the second syllable; UK/AU may show a crisper /ɒ/ in the final syllable. Overall, the core consonants /d/ /m/ /ɡ/ remain consistent across accents.
The difficulty lies in two areas: the multi-syllabic structure and the consonant cluster at the end. The sequence /-mə-ɡɒɡ/ requires a clear /ɡ/ closure and avoidance of an unintended vowel between /ɡ/ and the final /ɡ/. Additionally, the vowel in the second syllable often shifts toward a neutral schwa; keeping it distinct helps prevent a slurred, ‘demogogue’ tendency. Focus on clean consonant endings and stable schwa in the middle.
Unique issue: some speakers glide into /ˌdɛ//mɒ/ patterns, but the canonical mode keeps a clear /ˈdɛm.əˌɡɒɡ/. Pay attention to the subtle secondary stress in some pronunciations (ˈdɛm.əˌɡɒɡ) where the third syllable carries a lighter emphasis. Ensure there’s a crisp /ɡ/ release at the end and avoid linking to an /i/ or /iː/ sound between the middle and final syllables.
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- US: rhoticity can influence vowel length subtly; ensure /ˈdɛm.əˌɡɒɡ/ with a clear non-rhotacized ending, and keep the /ɒ/ audible. - UK: crisp /ɡɒɡ/ ending, non-rhotic influence; final /ɡ/ is released clearly. - AU: similar to UK; maintain clear /ɒ/ with a precise /ɡ/ release. Use IPA: US /ˈdɛm.əˌɡɒɡ/, UK/AU /ˈdɛm.ə.ɡɒɡ/. - Focus on avoiding vowel reductions that collapse /ɒ/ to /ə/ in the final syllable.
Demagogue derives from the Greek words demos (people) and agein (to lead). The term entered English in the 17th–18th centuries, originally describing leaders who influenced large masses through persuasive rhetoric. By the 19th century, it acquired a strongly negative connotation, associated with manipulation and demoralization of civic judgment. The reconstruction of democratic rhetoric, media amplification, and modern political campaigning intensified the term’s usage in political science and journalism. Its usage reflects concerns about how orators can guide public opinion by exploiting emotional vulnerabilities rather than presenting substantiated arguments. The word’s history mirrors shifts in political discourse—from formal, policy-focused persuasion to mass communication techniques that prioritize sensationalism and emotional resonance over rational debate. First known uses appear in early English political satire and philosophical treatises examining crowd psychology, with the term maturing into a widely recognized descriptor for leaders who prioritize populist appeal over disciplined governance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Demagogue" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Demagogue"
-gue sounds
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