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

Still, multiple lobbyists tell me that a flurry of regulator activity has prompted an increase in advocacy for some despite a year that has been otherwise marked by a lull in major legislative activity ahead of the election. — Megan R. Wilson, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026

At UConn, Werstler earned a political science and communications degree in 2022, then worked as a lobbyist for Rome, Smith Lutz & Kowalski, a government relations firm. — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

In the following weeks, Kao and his lobbyist gave Wilson’s campaign $3,500. — Molly Redden, ProPublica, 20 Oct. 2026

As far as Clayton’s future goes, one tech lobbyist told Semafor to watch what happens on day 121 (the task force’s work is supposed to be completed in 120 days). — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist