as in hobby
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure
oil painting became the hobbyhorse of her long years of retirement
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hobbyhorse
There must have been hundreds of them made, a stable of hobbyhorses, and one had ended up in the basement of our house in Massachusetts.
—
Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
It is also blighted by Tanenhaus’s hobbyhorses, which are especially evident in his caviling when promoting his book.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 June 2025
Both parties instead must make the case that federal funding for research is not a partisan hobbyhorse but a source of long-term economic and political strength.
—David G. Victor, Foreign Affairs, 28 May 2025
The treatment of white farmers in South Africa has been a hobbyhorse of South African X owner Elon Musk for quite a while.
—ArsTechnica, 14 May 2025
In 2017, the National Institutes of Health asked Hotez to meet with Kennedy to move him off the hobbyhorse of a vaccine-autism link.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Mergers and acquisitions of media companies is an area squarely in the FCC’s purview, which cannot be said of Section 230 and more tech-adjacent regulation that have also been Carr hobbyhorses.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
Throw these men off their hobbyhorses, off the tracks of their discourse.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
It is also blighted by Tanenhaus’s hobbyhorses, which are especially evident in his caviling when promoting his book.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 June 2025
Both parties instead must make the case that federal funding for research is not a partisan hobbyhorse but a source of long-term economic and political strength.
—David G. Victor, Foreign Affairs, 28 May 2025
The treatment of white farmers in South Africa has been a hobbyhorse of South African X owner Elon Musk for quite a while.
—ArsTechnica, 14 May 2025
In 2017, the National Institutes of Health asked Hotez to meet with Kennedy to move him off the hobbyhorse of a vaccine-autism link.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Mergers and acquisitions of media companies is an area squarely in the FCC’s purview, which cannot be said of Section 230 and more tech-adjacent regulation that have also been Carr hobbyhorses.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
Throw these men off their hobbyhorses, off the tracks of their discourse.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobbyhorse
Noun
-
With thousands of such satellites up there, even engaging in amateur astronomy as a hobby — looking at the night sky through a telescope or binoculars — would suddenly become an extremely risky activity.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
15 Oct. 2025
-
While Hastings has turned his attention to hobbies like skiing since giving up his CEO role, Iger has developed a reputation for wanting to hang around as Disney's head honcho.—
Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This is the uniform in which DesRochers greets me at the nucleus of her sprawling entrepreneurial pursuits that are dubbed The Gratitude Collective, her brick home sitting high atop a hill in Avondale.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Oct. 2025
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Despite the setback, Franklin remains undeterred and is determined to land another coaching job while continuing his pursuit of a national championship.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Her love for journalism began with taking freelance sports photos for her local newspaper, The Fulton Sun, during high school, and her involvement with multiple school publications.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Oct. 2025
-
This emotional confidence will encourage upbeat times socializing with others, as well as exploring sports events and fun activities with kids.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
My vocation as a writer and editor and my avocation as a gardener and composter go hand in hand.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Sep. 2025
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Retired from her long vocation as a research chemist, Schafer, at 81, remains on the job with her avocations.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
The film takes place in 1954 almost exclusively over the course of one evening at a party thrown by the newly wed Hedda who wields literal and figurative weapons for her own personal amusement and potential financial gain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The new security measures announced in May also included a requirement for minors to be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older in the ride area, but organizers announced in August that the 2025 festival would not have amusement rides.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hobbyhorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobbyhorse. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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