fat cat

noun

1

a

: a wealthy contributor to a political campaign fund

b

: a wealthy and privileged person

c

: big shot

2

: a lethargic complacent person

fat-cat

ˈfat-ˌkat 

adjective

Synonyms of fat cat

• have
• capitalist
• silk stocking

Examples of fat cat in a Sentence

The best seats in the theater were reserved for the fat cats.

that last recession was particularly hard on the poor, but the fat cats barely noticed a dip in their bank accounts

Recent Examples on the Web

Their Youtube channel includes direct-to-camera rants delivered by their lupine avatars that preach their screw-the-man gospel, entreating their massive following to take back what’s been denied them by the real fat cats and crooks. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 12 Nov. 2026

His fat cat industrialist Zsa-Zsa Korda is no underground rebel. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026

The fat cats in Congress who’ve been making a killing on Wall Street were none too pleased. — Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2026

Nah, that's for the fat cats and money-grubbers. — Steph Wagner, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fat cat

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat