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

And that starts with focusing on a few basic goals, instead of trying to be everything to every lobbyist in Sacramento. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026

Every major city contract, vendor and lobbyist interaction will be easily accessible online, so residents can see who is doing business with the city and under what terms. —Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026

During the five-week trial, Rubio, Sessions and influential GOP lobbyist Brian Ballard testified. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026

According to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, the EPC has spent more than $566,000 in digital ads in Colorado since late January, and that total doesn’t include the lobbyists the opponents have hired. —Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist