What does "muckraker" mean?
One who investigates and exposes issues of corruption that often violate widely held values; e.g. one who exposes political corruption or the poor conditions in prisons.
Muckraker
noun
noun ·3 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who investigates and exposes issues of corruption that often violate widely held values; e.g. one who exposes political corruption or the poor conditions in prisons.
- Grammar: muckraker is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: annotator, backbiter, belittler, calumniator.
- Useful contrasts: apologist, careful reporter, fact-based journalist.
- Usage evidence: For three years on that most sensational of the New York dailies he had been the star man, the chief muckraker, the chief sleuth.
How to use "muckraker"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "muckraker" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "muckraker" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "muckraker" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who investigates and exposes issues of corruption that often violate widely held values; e.g. one who exposes political corruption or the poor conditions in prisons. US
"The paper gave a start to the theater critic Hilton Als and the novelist Colson Whitehead, both recipients of the Pulitzer Prize. Its resident muckraker, Wayne Barrett, took aim at New York developers and politicians for nearly 40 years, and his obsessive work on Donald J. Trump has become a resource for reporters covering the president today."
- 2 one who spreads real or alleged scandal about another (usually for political advantage) wordnet
- 3 One of a group of American investigative reporters, novelists and critics of the Progressive Era (the 1890s to the 1920s). US, historical
""Oh, in many ways. There are two classes of people who are not welcomed on the Canal Zone—magazine writers and applicants for positions who have political influence back of them. The former are regarded as muckrakers, the latter as spies.""
- 4 A sensationalist, scandalmongering journalist, one who is not driven by any social principles. British, derogatory
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"For three years on that most sensational of the New York dailies he had been the star man, the chief muckraker, the chief sleuth."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "muckraker"?
Common synonyms include: annotator, backbiter, belittler, calumniator, captious critic, carper.
How do you use "muckraker" in a sentence?
For three years on that most sensational of the New York dailies he had been the star man, the chief muckraker, the chief sleuth.
Etymology
From muck + raker. Believed to have been coined following a 1906 speech by United States President Theodore Roosevelt, in which he likened the investigative journalist to ‘the Man with the Muck-rake’, a character in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.