doormat

American  

[dawr-mat, dohr-] / ˈdɔrˌmæt, ˈdoʊr- /

noun

1. a mat, usually placed before a door or other entrance, for people arriving to wipe their shoes on before entering.

2. a person who is the habitual object of abuse or humiliation by another.

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doormat British  

/ ˈdɔːˌmæt /

noun

1. a mat, placed at the entrance to a building, for wiping dirt from shoes

2. informal a person who offers little resistance to ill-treatment by others

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Etymology

Origin of doormat

First recorded in 1655–65; door + mat ¹

Example Sentences

But the seven councils have been given permission to bust the cap without a referendum when bills land on residents' doormats in April.

From BBC

She’s instructing it to read subtle cues, helping steer it toward emotional intelligence so it won’t act like a bully or a doormat.

From The Wall Street Journal

But at the college level, the powerhouses typically remained the powerhouses while schools like Indiana were their doormats.

From The Wall Street Journal

Then he transformed Indiana, a longtime Big Ten doormat, into a national championship contender.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most humans would rather be a doormat than a battering ram, regardless of the urgency or circumstance.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• groupie
• lackey