hobbyhorse

noun

ˈhä-bē-ˌhȯrs How to pronounce hobbyhorse (audio)
Definition of hobbyhorsenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hobbyhorse Eccentricities, crotchets, and hobbyhorses are such interesting intellectual drivers. — Clare Bucknell, The New York Review of Books, 27 June 2026 Laqueur’s book has no particular thesis to hobbyhorse for, and yet a unified-field theory of aesthetic dogginess might be distilled from its pages. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 May 2026 The notion that Winston Churchill, not the German Führer, was the villain in World War II — another of Buchanan’s hobbyhorses — is again gaining ground on the right. — Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2025 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 Old-fashioned hobbyhorses entice shoppers to imagine riding on them. — Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobbyhorse
  1. hobby
  2. pursuit
  3. sport
  4. avocation
  5. amusement
Noun
  • SheThePeople similarly identifies homemade bread baking as one of the slow-paced, hands-on hobbies gaining attention among Gen Z.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Irish Examiner links Gen Z’s embrace of baking and other grandma hobbies to their visibility on TikTok and Instagram, and SheThePeople describes nostalgic, hands-on hobbies becoming trendy on those feeds.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hobby
Noun
  • And the landscape itself provides inspiring backdrops for wellness activities and pursuits.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Newcastle signed 20-year-old defensive midfielder Aladji Bamba from Monaco of France’s Ligue 1, while Howe’s abrupt departure after almost five years as head coach was another complicating factor in their pursuit of Bergvall.
    — Jay Harris, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of pursuit
Noun
  • That seemed to be the overriding theme of the night, and the sport in general.
    — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • While the behavior was distracting, Osaka hopes that bringing tennis to a new audience overall will benefit the sport, as long as new fans learn the rules and etiquette of spectating.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of sport
Noun
  • Unlike in fields where avocations have to replace callings, academic retirees go on to pen as many articles and books as decline permits.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
  • As Sottile sees it, the dog-show economy thrives on dog lovers’ sense of avocation.
    — Kelli María Korducki, HubSpot, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of avocation
Noun
  • Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett, a legendary figure in the game and not known to smile often, was among the staff drafted in to help dress Arrow for the occasion — much to Arrow’s own amusement.
    — Michael Bailey, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In stories centered on objects ranging from a button to a tin soldier, young authors recognize the it-narrative’s potential not only for amusement but for showcasing the power of the small and marginal.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of amusement

Browse Nearby Words

hobby
hobbyhorse
hobbyhorses
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Cite this Entry

“Hobbyhorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobbyhorse. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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