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

The Observer previously reported HOA lobbyists are often successful in blocking or stalling legislation that would limit the powers of HOAs. —Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025

Republicans should ignore hospital lobbyists’ alarmism, and Senator Hawley’s complaining, about their Medicaid reforms. —The Editors, National Review, 20 June 2025

The lobbyist and his defense lawyer were hoping for home confinement as punishment, while a prosecutor argued that 2-1/2 years would be just during a hearing in West Palm Beach federal court. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025

Geo’s former lobbyist Pam Bondi is now the U.S. attorney general. —Heather Hollingsworth, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist