lobbyist
Americannoun
-
lobbyists
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of lobbyist
Explanation
A lobbyist is someone hired by a business or a cause to persuade legislators to support that business or cause. Lobbyists get paid to win favor from politicians. For example, oil companies send lobbyists to Washington to try to make life easier for oil companies. Sometimes they do it by making a great case for their cause, but often it involves fancy dinners and golf outings. If that sounds kind of shady, it is. But remember that women's rights groups and cancer research foundations have lobbyists, too — it's just one way to get your voice heard on the Hill.
Vocabulary lists containing lobbyist
100 Top "SAT" Words
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U.S. Government Lingo
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Vocabulary from President Trump's First Address to Congress
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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:
Hartman thanked his lobbyist for making it happen.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Then, aided by a well-connected lobbyist and the sheen of credibility from its association with the university, Navatek would approach the member for federal research funding.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
A Washington industry lobbyist interviewed by AFP predicted a pragmatic approach from companies.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Christos Marafatsos works as an energy lobbyist while also closely advising the U.S. ambassador to Greece.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Also in 1870, Victoria Woodhull moved to Washington, DC, and began working as a lobbyist for women’s suffrage.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Banking lobbyists eagerly ask if Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who led the committee during the Biden administration before losing his seat and was elected again this week, could try to assume the role again.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Agents wanted Kao to help them find more records that would back up his account and asked him to point them toward lobbyists in D.C. who he said facilitated the pay-for-play scheme.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Navatek’s lobbyists at that time were seeking private meetings with Graham, Wilson and Clyburn, where Kao planned to ask for significantly more federal funding.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Banks and payment lobbyists have launched into action.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
There were journalists and lobbyists, and also homeless people just looking to get out of the heat.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
