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

Because 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

Examples of lobbyist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In recent weeks, questions have been raised about political self-dealing, transparency, lack of guardrails on lobbyists, spending and staff increases. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 June 2026

Though a bill that trucking lobbyists will love, at some point legislators need to ask if what aids the trucking industry is good for drivers, and for that matter the trucking industry itself. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Bill Conway and veteran lobbyist John Kelly. — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026

Whether that’s viable heading into budget negotiations with a more progressive Albany is the question corporate lobbyists should be gaming out now. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist