svengali
/svɛŋˈɡɑːli/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.05 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
One who manipulates or controls another as by some mesmeric or sinister influence; especially a coach, mentor or industry mogul.
noun
Alternative letter-case form of svengali.
Example Sentences
- "She also offers a fascinating glimpse into a more innocent age before svengalis began colluding with marketing men and TV execs to promote talentless wannabes to overnight success."
- "The Tam Paton of today is nothing like the fearsome Svengali you would see on television during the Roller years. (It is used in multiple other occasions in this book)"
- "Donald's daughter and Svengali Ivanka is a smart, smart, smart lady with an extraordinary intellect and influence on her father."
- "We have Stephen Bannon, the former head of Breitbart known for his open ties to white supremacists, anti-Semites, and foreign reactionaries in France and Russia. Bannon is a Svengali of sorts for the ugliest forces in American and international politics, a man who believes the Western world is in a fundamental struggle with Islam and who sees multiculturalism and liberal openness as a threat to the future of the West."
Etymology
Inflected Forms
Phrases
Frequently Paired Words
manipulator
spin doctor
éminence grise
power broker
kingmaker
puppet master
string-puller
gaslighter