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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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of doormat

First recorded in 1655–65; door + mat 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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 • Feb. 9, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2025

Don’t miss: Meta’s stock is the new ‘Magnificent Seven’ doormat.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 18, 2025

Atlanta closed with a 1-1 draw against Eastern Conference doormat DC United that allowed Atlanta to avoid the bottom of the table.

From Barron's • Oct. 19, 2025

Safer steps out of his shoes and lines them up on one side of Mr. X’s doormat.

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.