lobby

noun lob·by \ ˈlä-bē \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Definition of lobby

plural lobbies

1 : a corridor or hall connected with a larger room or series of rooms and used as a passageway or waiting room: such as

a : an anteroom of a legislative chamber; especially : one of two anterooms of a British parliamentary chamber to which members go to vote during a division

b : a large hall serving as a foyer (as of a hotel or theater)

2 : a group of persons engaged in lobbying especially as representatives of a particular interest group

the gun lobby

the oil lobby

See lobby defined for English-language learners

See lobby defined for kids

Examples of lobby in a Sentence

I'll meet you in the lobby after the show.
The proposed new law is supported by the oil lobby.

Recent Examples of lobby from the Web

Located in Dallas’ Uptown, the Hotel Crescent Court has completed a $33 million overhaul of its lobby, guest rooms, suites, corridors, spa, and fitness center.

— nancy trejos, USA TODAY, "Hotel renovations: Properties in Los Angeles, Dallas and San Francisco get major upgrades," 13 July 2018
The hotel keeps the pooches in its lobby during daytime hours, allowing guests and visitors to interact.

— kate santich, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orlando hotel's dog-adoption program off to "awesome" start," 10 July 2018
To honor his long devotion to the church, officials named its lobby that connects with the parish hall for him.

— frederick n. rasmussen, baltimoresun.com, "W. McNeill 'Mac' Baker, retired Baltimore architect who specialized in health care facilities, dies," 14 June 2018
Even a church, converted from a bingo hall, has a snack-dispensing vending machine in its lobby.

— The Economist, "As rich children slim down, poor ones are getting fatter," 31 May 2018
Nordstrom gradually gained credibility as a high-end destination, upper-middle-classy if not glamorous, its atmosphere epitomized by the live piano music that still graces some of its lobbies.

— phil wahba, Fortune, "Why Nordstrom Is Betting on High-Touch Tech," 25 May 2018
Its lobby features an old plane’s fuel tank, a coffee table built out of pieces of a plane’s engine and a propeller by the elevators.

— phillip molnar, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Inside Little Italy's apartment rush," 18 May 2018
Watergate East is in the midst of renovating its lobby.

— rachel kurzius, Curbed, "Watergate is a place, too," 25 Apr. 2018
The ElDewrito version of Halo Online is still online and functioning, with thousands of players matchmaking in its wholly free online multiplayer lobbies as of press time.

— sam machkovech, Ars Technica, "A fan-made Halo PC patch meets Microsoft’s legal muscle—and apparently survives," 25 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lobby.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lobby

Medieval Latin lobium gallery, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German louba porch

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First Known Use: 1593

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

lobby Synonyms

Synonyms

entranceway, entry, entryway, foyer, hall, hallway, vestibule;

door, doorway, entrance, portal, threshold;

Other Architecture Terms

buttress, casita, cornice, fanlight, garret, lintel, parapet, pilaster, plinth

lobby

verb

Definition of lobby

lobbied; lobbying

intransitive verb

: to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation

transitive verb

1 : to promote (something, such as a project) or secure the passage of (legislation) by influencing public officials

lobby a bill through Congress

2 : to attempt to influence or sway (someone, such as a public official) toward a desired action

lobbying senators for tax reform

—

lobbyer

noun

—

lobbyism

play \ˈlä-bē-ˌi-zəm\ noun

—

lobbyist

play \ˈlä-bē-ist\ noun

See lobby defined for English-language learners

Examples of lobby in a Sentence

an organization that has been lobbying for reform of the tax laws
The health-care industry has lobbied against the proposal.
an organization that has been lobbying Congress for reform of the tax laws
a player who has lobbied hard to be included in the team's starting lineup
I lobbied our company for a new computer.

Recent Examples of lobby from the Web

The Washington Post is a lobbying firm whose only client is Jeff Bezos.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "In Wild Interview, Trump Says May Blew Brexit and Immigrants Ruined Europe," 12 July 2018
And Jared Sawyer, Treasury’s deputy assistant secretary for financial institutions policy, has just started at Rich Feuer Anderson, a financial services lobbying firm.

— alan rappeport, New York Times, "Government Work Done, Tax Policy Writers Decamp to Lobbying Jobs," 8 July 2018
As of January, only five letters were submitted this year by lobbyists or lobbying firms that broadly claimed to represent clients with business before the city.

— milton j. valencia, BostonGlobe.com, "City Council offers own lobbying bill, straying from Marty Walsh’s proposal," 19 June 2018
At the time of the deal, Signature Bank’s board included former senator D’Amato, who founded and is the managing director of the lobbying firm Park Strategies.

— USA TODAY, "Cozy land deals meant big money for Trump family and friends," 7 June 2018
Most notably, Tilley and his lobbying firm represent Sterling Bank, which is owned by businessmen with interests in low-income housing developments.

— jason hancock, bryan lowry and steve vockrodt, kansascity, "Who is Missouri’s next governor? Mike Parson, in many ways Greitens’ polar opposite," 29 May 2018
Podesta stepped away from his lobbying firm last fall after coming under scrutiny in the Mueller investigation, and his fate in the probe isn’t yet known.

— emily stewart, Vox, "Donald Trump is raging over the Mueller investigation on Twitter," 20 May 2018
In 2016, Alkermes's Arizona lobbying firm poured money into the fight against a referendum that would have decriminalized pot.

— bill myers, Chicago Reader, "Officials hope much-hyped drug can slow state's opioid crisis, but is it worth the costs?," 16 May 2018
In March, the group hired a prominent Michigan lobbying firm, Public Affairs Associates, for an unknown sum.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Boy Scouts fight to limit older sexual abuse claims after $18.5 million Oregon case," 11 May 2018

First Known Use of lobby

1820

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

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LOBBY Defined for English Language Learners

lobby

noun

Definition of lobby for English Language Learners

: a large open area inside and near the entrance of a public building (such as a hotel or theater)
: an organized group of people who work together to influence government decisions that relate to a particular industry, issue, etc.

lobby

verb

Definition of lobby for English Language Learners

: to try to influence government officials to make decisions for or against something
: to try to get something you want by talking to the people who make decisions