Standard Lemma guide

fearmonger

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈfɪəmʌŋɡə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈfɪəɹˌmʌŋɡəɹ/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone who spreads fear.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: alarmist, fearmongerer, panicmonger, scaremonger

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To spread fear.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From fear + monger (“dealer in a specific commodity; (by extension) person promoting something undesirable”).

Back-formation from fearmongering.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: lietsoa pelkoa — to spread fear
  • Finnish: pelotella — to spread fear
  • French: semer la peur — to spread fear
  • Polish: siać strach — to spread fear
  • Portuguese: espalhar medo — to spread fear