variants
or less commonly lap dog
plural lapdogs also lap dogs
1
: a small dog (such as a Chihuahua or Pomeranian) that may be held in the lap
2
: a servile dependent or follower
"We had a choice of being attack dogs or lapdogs," said a G.O.P. lawmaker.—
Jacob V. Lamar
Jacob V. Lamarlap dog politicians
Examples of lapdog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The company’s founder and CEO, Tom Stevens, says the idea to create the robotic lapdog came from his mother, who had to give up her real dog after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
—Rena Goldman, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Jan. 2026
The ultimate souvenir for visitors to Yellowstone National Park early that summer was a closeup of Sylvia, a 225-pound grizzly bear, and her trio of cubs, each of whom was no larger than a lapdog.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
Trump—through his lapdog chair of the FCC—is creating the fear & intimidation that serves an instrument of authoritarian power.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
History is strewn with the wreckage of dictatorships that have attracted and promoted incompetent lapdogs lacking talent or integrity.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lapdog
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.
Rena Goldman, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Jan. 2026
The ultimate souvenir for visitors to Yellowstone National Park early that summer was a closeup of Sylvia, a 225-pound grizzly bear, and her trio of cubs, each of whom was no larger than a lapdog.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
Trump—through his lapdog chair of the FCC—is creating the fear & intimidation that serves an instrument of authoritarian power.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
History is strewn with the wreckage of dictatorships that have attracted and promoted incompetent lapdogs lacking talent or integrity.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lapdog
Cite this Entry
“Lapdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lapdog. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lapdog
noun
lap·dog
ˈlap-ˌdȯg 
: a dog small enough to be held in the lap
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share