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

Politico first broke the news of McEntee’s registration as a Tencent lobbyist in September; however, his compensation for the role has so far been unreported following its disclosure in a congressional document filed on Monday. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2025

After reports that Slater opposed the settlement but was overruled by Attorney General Pam Bondi, Democrats seized on it as an example of political interference from Trump-supporting lobbyists. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025

Among the lobbyists Mooresville BTR has hired since then is Saine. —Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2025

University of Vermont political science professor Alex Garlick began studying the influence of lobbyists after working as a Congressional staffer for Massachusetts Representative Joe Kennedy III. —Aman Kidwai, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist