lobbyist
noun
lob·by·ist
ˈlä-bē-ist 
plural lobbyists
: one who conducts activities aimed at influencing or swaying public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation : a person engaged in lobbying public officials
The new rule says that if you were a registered lobbyist in the past two years, you can't work for the administration on any issue you touched. After you leave government, you can't lobby the administration at all.—
Jacob Weisberg
Jacob WeisbergBecause so many lobbyists have past experience on Capitol Hill, they usually have personal ties both to members of congress and to their key staffers, who vet and prioritize the earmark requests.—Ken Silverstein
Ken SilversteinExamples of lobbyist in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When Thrasher’s name surfaced for the FSU job in 2014, students heckled him at a public forum, appalled by his role as a lobbyist and as chairman of then-Gov. Rick Scott’s re-election campaign.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 31 May 2025
The memos said the agreement includes a $900 million tax cut through eliminating a tax on commercial leases, a longtime priority of business lobbyists.
—Jim Saunders, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025
Howard Paster, a former lobbyist for the United Auto Workers union, whom Clinton had appointed to liaise with Congress, said at one point in the discussions.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
The report also stopped short of calling two common pesticides used on many food crops, glyphosate and atrazine, unsafe after pushback from farmers, industry lobbyists and Republican lawmakers.
—Dani Blum, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lobbyist
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 31 May 2025
The memos said the agreement includes a $900 million tax cut through eliminating a tax on commercial leases, a longtime priority of business lobbyists.
—Jim Saunders, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025
Howard Paster, a former lobbyist for the United Auto Workers union, whom Clinton had appointed to liaise with Congress, said at one point in the discussions.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
The report also stopped short of calling two common pesticides used on many food crops, glyphosate and atrazine, unsafe after pushback from farmers, industry lobbyists and Republican lawmakers.
—Dani Blum, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lobbyist
Cite this Entry
“Lobbyist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lobbyist. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share