stooge

1 of 2

noun

ˈstüj 

1

a

: one who plays a subordinate or compliant role to a principal

a gangster and his stooges

b

: puppet sense 3

just a stooge for the pharmaceutical industry

2

: straight man

3

: stool pigeon sense 1

stooge

2 of 2

verb

stooged; stooging

intransitive verb

: to act as a stooge

… Congressmen who stooge for the oil and mineral interests …

—New Republic

Examples of stooge in a Sentence

Noun

a gangster and his stooges

He's just a stooge for the oil industry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Though Sami’s previous ambivalence over the group’s mission makes his eventual attack on Whelan a bit curious, River’s heroic rescue of the beleaguered First Desk stooge sets up the real dénouement in which his future and the future of Slough House itself is briefly in question. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025

Naturally, the theft of the ghost shirt by the stooges in the employ of Roy Lee is accompanied by many deceased bodies — the first of the many bloodbaths in Americana, which has a distressingly expedient approach to on-screen carnage. —Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025

Verb

The fake Americano hid under the ring but Tessitore stooged him out. —Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

Matt Frewer had already established himself as Max Headroom and the Trashcan Man prior to joining Orphan Black as Dr. Aldous Leekie, a Dyad Institute stooge and face of the Neolution movement. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1939, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stooge

• huge
• kluge
• scrooge
• centrifuge
• febrifuge
• subterfuge
• ultracentrifuge

Kids Definition

stooge

noun

ˈstüj

1

: one who follows or serves another without thinking

2

: an actor who usually by asking questions prepares the way for a principal comedian's jokes

stooge verb