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
That meant, of course, that Byron, the King Charles spaniel, notable lapdog and occasional Chopard mascot, would be in attendance alongside his mistress, the co-president.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
These can be summarized as a debate about whether the media are watchdogs, aggressively scrutinizing government officials, or lapdogs, mostly colluding with or manipulated by them.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
In a sane world, Congress would put a stop to it and reassert its own power to regulate import duties; unfortunately, this particular GOP Congress seems content enough to be a lapdog watching Trump usurp them and damage the economy and our international standing.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Customers pay by the seat, so there’s no charge for lapdogs.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lapdog
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Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
These can be summarized as a debate about whether the media are watchdogs, aggressively scrutinizing government officials, or lapdogs, mostly colluding with or manipulated by them.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
In a sane world, Congress would put a stop to it and reassert its own power to regulate import duties; unfortunately, this particular GOP Congress seems content enough to be a lapdog watching Trump usurp them and damage the economy and our international standing.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Customers pay by the seat, so there’s no charge for lapdogs.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lapdog
Cite this Entry
“Lapdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lapdog. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lapdog
noun
lap·dog
ˈlap-ˌdȯg 
: a dog small enough to be held in the lap
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