svengali Definition
a person who exercises a controlling or mesmeric influence on another, especially for a sinister purpose.
Using svengali: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "svengali" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He was accused of being a svengali who manipulated his followers.
Example
She fell under the spell of a svengali who convinced her to give him all her money.
Example
The politician was seen as a svengali who controlled every aspect of his party's campaign.
svengali Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for svengali
Phrases with svengali
play Svengali
to exert a controlling or manipulative influence over someone
Example
He tried to play Svengali with his employees, but they saw through his tactics.
the phenomenon where a person's behavior is influenced by another person who has an intense and manipulative personality
Example
She was under the Svengali effect of her boss, who convinced her to work long hours without pay.
a psychological condition where a person becomes obsessed with another person who has a controlling or manipulative personality
Example
She developed Svengali syndrome after being in a relationship with a man who controlled every aspect of her life.
Origins of svengali
from the name of a character in George du Maurier's novel 'Trilby' (1894)
Summary: svengali in Brief
'Svengali' [sven-gah-lee] refers to a person who exerts a controlling or mesmeric influence on another, often for a sinister purpose. It can be used to describe a manipulative person who dominates others, as in 'He was accused of being a svengali who manipulated his followers.' The term also extends into phrases like 'play Svengali,' which means to exert a controlling influence over someone.
