muckraker
muckraker Lexical Profile
muckraker Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A journalist, author, or activist who investigates and exposes political corruption, corporate malfeasance, or social injustice, especially during the Progressive Era in the United States.
"Upton Sinclair became a famous muckraker after his novel exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry."
A person who searches out and publicizes scandal, gossip, or discreditable information about prominent people in an aggressive or sensationalist manner.
"The tabloid columnist was dismissed by critics as a cynical muckraker more interested in ruining reputations than reporting facts."
Word Nuance & Usage
In historical contexts, 'muckraker' carries a positive, reform-minded connotation referring to Progressive Era investigative journalists, whereas in modern everyday usage it is often used pejoratively to describe someone who seeks out scandal simply for sensationalism.
Word Origin & Etymology
Popularized in 1906 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who alluded to the 'Man with the Muck-rake' in John Bunyan's 1678 allegory 'The Pilgrim's Progress'—a character so fixated on raking filth on the ground that he never looked up to see a celestial crown.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.