noun / verb
monger
Spreading something undesirable or a person who does so.
The candidate mongers fear to win support for his campaign.
Etymology
The older word means a dealer in goods. Figurative use turns spreading rumors, fear, or similar things into a kind of disreputable trade.
More examples
- He dismisses the tabloids as mongers of gossip.
- She refuses to monger rumors about her coworkers.
- The article accuses him of mongering hatred.
Forms
monger · mongers · mongered · mongering
fearmonger noun — A person who deliberately stirs up fear.
Similar words
- spread
- Describes wider circulation without necessarily implying harmful intent or content.
- peddle
- Suggests actively pushing dubious claims, often for personal gain.