spin doctor

noun

Examples: spin doctor in a Sentence

Definition of spin doctor

: a person (such as a political aide) responsible for ensuring that others interpret an event from a particular point of view

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spin-doctor

play \ˈspin-ˌdäk-tər\ verb

See spin doctor defined for English-language learners

Examples of spin doctor in a Sentence

The spin doctors from both sides were already declaring victory for their candidates as soon as the debate ended.

Recent Examples of spin doctor from the Web

There are many intriguing dinners over which the pair allegedly cracked their plan with the help of a solicitor, a professional spin doctor, and eventually a journalist, Penny Junor, who was commissioned to portray Camilla well at Diana’s expense.

— kenzie bryant, Vanities, "What’s the Deal with Camilla, Diana, and Prince Charles’s Bathroom Warfare?," 21 Mar. 2018
Putin, perhaps with an eye to posterity, has been trying to rehabilitate the reputation of the deceased tyrant and mass murderer — a task that will challenge the skills of his spin doctors.

— gary thompson, Philly.com, "'Death of Stalin': See it because Putin doesn't want you to, and because it's funny," 21 Mar. 2018
The political spin doctors were out in full force Wednesday, as Republicans licked their wounds from an embarrassing loss and Democrats bellowed with confidence after winning a Pennsylvania district that Donald Trump took by 20 points in 2016.

— astead w. herndon, BostonGlobe.com, "First, it looked like a Democratic wave. Now, it looks like a tsunami," 14 Mar. 2018
Roosevelt’s spin doctors had always been perplexed that some wartime sound bites caught on while others did not.

— abigail tucker, Smithsonian, "A 21st-Century Reimagining of Norman Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms”," 23 Feb. 2018
The public relations spin doctors are working overtime at Apple this week.

— josh hoxie, Fortune, "Commentary: Apple Avoided $40 Billion in Taxes. Now It Wants a Gold Star?," 18 Jan. 2018
Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's ex-communications chief and former Labour Party spin doctor, has spilled the beans in his latest batch of diaries (H/T The Sunday Times).

— SI.com, "Ruud van Nistelrooy & Cristiano Ronaldo Relationship Revealed as Deciding Factor Into Striker's Exit," 24 Sep. 2017
But surrounded by friends (played by Ed Helms and Jim Gaffigan) and eventually a team of spin doctors assembled by his father, Ted keeps trying to seize the opportunity to be righteous, to give a big Kennedy speech and steer the ship.

— katey rich, vanityfair.com, "Maybe Every Political Movie Isn’t About Trump After All," 12 Sep. 2017
That was the rap that all of the spin doctors had been pushing.

— jack holmes, Esquire, "The Dean Scream: An Oral History," 29 Jan. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spin doctor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of spin doctor

1984

in the meaning defined above

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SPIN DOCTOR Defined for English Language Learners

spin doctor

noun

Definition of spin doctor for English Language Learners

: a person (such as a political aide) whose job involves trying to control the way something (such as an important event) is described to the public in order to influence what people think about it