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

Citing incomplete data, industry lobbyists point to smaller price hikes in recent years and higher use of care. — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026

Cory Harris, a lobbyist for state-legal cannabis operators, suggested that dire predictions about its effect on the intoxicating hemp industry are overstated. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Those fossil fuel and nuclear industry lobbyists must be giving away a lot of money in Albany! — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026

The office also maintains state archives and manages lobbyist registrations and campaign finance disclosures. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist