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

According to the notes from his Department of Justice interview obtained by the Associated Press and not previously reported, lobbyist Neil Clark identified one of the groups as Freedom Frontier. —Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026

These included executives and lobbyists representing firms in the transportation industry. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026

According to the notes from his Department of Justice interview obtained by The Associated Press and not previously reported, lobbyist Neil Clark identified one of the groups as Freedom Frontier. —ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026

The former Salinas mayor won that year with help from now-Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and his lobbyist brother Rick Rivas, who served as campaign aides. —Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist