Definition of dog whistle
1
: a whistle to call or direct a dog
especially
: one sounding at a frequency inaudible to the human ear
2
politics
: an expression or statement that has a secondary meaning intended to be understood only by a particular group of people
Democrats and liberals sometimes have gone to ridiculous lengths to portray speech by Republicans and conservatives as dog whistles responsible for inciting unstable people to carry out violent acts … — The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch … habitually inserts dog-whistles into his speeches to motivate evangelical voters. — The Economist
—often used before another noun That is the fundamental perversity of 'dog whistle politics', whereby political parties send coded messages that will be heard one way by their core supporters and another way altogether by others.— Robert E. Goodin
Buying Guide
Our Reviews team has selected the best dog treats.
Test Your Vocabulary
Name That Color
-
- Name that color:

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share dog whistle
Time Traveler for dog whistle
The first known use of dog whistle was in 1801
See more words from the same year