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

Investigators also raided the Broward County home of a lobbyist connected to the deal. —Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026

An Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield spokesperson did not answer the Courant’s questions but instead asked that questions be directed to Susan Halpin, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Health Plans, who is listed as a lobbyist for the association. —Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2026

Google, for example, didn’t hire its first in-house Washington lobbyist until after the company had gone public in 2005. —Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s husband, David, is listed as having been a lobbyist for a data center industry trade group since January, according to a filing with the Texas Ethic Commission. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist