Word of the day: Snollygoster

A snollygoster is a person, often a politician, who lacks strong principles and is mainly interested in personal gain, power, or advantage. In everyday language, it describes someone who will say or do whatever benefits them, even if it means being dishonest or inconsistent.

This is a less common word today, but it still pops up in political commentary, satire, opinion writing, and social media. Because it sounds playful and old-fashioned, it often adds humor while still delivering sharp criticism.

A snollygoster is usually someone seen as opportunistic, manipulative, or morally flexible. The term is most often aimed at leaders or public figures who change their stance to stay popular or win support. While it can be used jokingly among friends, it usually carries a serious message about trust and integrity.


Tone: Negative; it’s clearly not a compliment and is used to criticize behavior.

Part of speech: Noun

Origin/Etymology: The word dates back to 19th-century American slang. It became popular in US political speech, especially in newspapers, as a humorous but cutting label for corrupt or self-serving politicians.

Example sentences:

• The columnist accused several snollygosters of making empty promises during the campaign.
  
• Voters were tired of electing snollygosters who never kept their word.
  
• In a scathing editorial, the journalist described the shifting alliances in parliament as a parade of snollygosters willing to abandon ideology for influence.
  

You’ll most often see this word in political debates, opinion pieces, or social media posts when someone wants a colorful, memorable way to criticize dishonest leadership or opportunistic behavior.

In short, a snollygoster is an unprincipled and self-serving person, usually a politician, who puts personal advantage above integrity, making the word both humorous and sharply critical.