Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

doormats

  • plural
    of doormat.
    doormat
    noun
    a mat, usually placed before a door or other entrance, for people arriving to wipe their shoes on before entering.

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.

See Examples For:

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026

In some of the buildings, everything from the doormats to the staff’s uniforms was branded with the Trump name.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 18, 2024

Along with, say, People, Time and National Geographic, it has long lined the dentist offices, neighbors’ doormats and coffee tables of your life.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2023

The business offers potentially higher margins for Amazon than its main consumer business, as making a smaller number of bulk deliveries is cheaper, per unit, than getting millions of small parcels to individuals' doormats.

From Reuters ● Apr. 20, 2023

“They’re not doormats, but they know they’re up against kids who have had more resources. I’ve seen it. They feel intimidated sometimes, even by kids from Pennsbury.”

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove