useful idiot
noun
plural useful idiots
: a naive or credulous person who can be manipulated or exploited to advance a cause or political agenda
… you might want to think twice about voting for your … incumbent senator, congressman or state legislator, who sees you as nothing more than their useful idiot.
Examples of useful idiot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Where are the useful idiots on campus setting up tents?
—
Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
With useful idiots like Laura Ali.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
While Hamas’ useful idiots here in the United States and elsewhere have parroted anti-Israel propaganda while ignoring the crimes of Hamas, the Palestinian people have suffered the consequences of Hamas’ insistence on perpetuating the war.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025
But rather than being brave truth tellers, the authors are playing the role of useful idiots.
—Adam Becker, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2025
In the early days of the war, for example, the American military quickly became a useful idiot for certain warlord allies, who took advantage of U.S. firepower to eliminate rivals and settle scores.
—Dan Fisher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The overwhelming impression Cummings gave was that politicians were the useful idiots who should give him the runway to remake the state.
—Jim Waterson, semafor.com, 6 June 2025
This, too, is abetted by supporters — critics would deride them as useful idiots — who downplay or else rationalize questionable decision-making as five-dimensional chess.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
Anyone celebrating that is their own sort of useful idiot.
—Harry Siegel, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
With useful idiots like Laura Ali.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
While Hamas’ useful idiots here in the United States and elsewhere have parroted anti-Israel propaganda while ignoring the crimes of Hamas, the Palestinian people have suffered the consequences of Hamas’ insistence on perpetuating the war.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025
But rather than being brave truth tellers, the authors are playing the role of useful idiots.
—Adam Becker, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2025
In the early days of the war, for example, the American military quickly became a useful idiot for certain warlord allies, who took advantage of U.S. firepower to eliminate rivals and settle scores.
—Dan Fisher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The overwhelming impression Cummings gave was that politicians were the useful idiots who should give him the runway to remake the state.
—Jim Waterson, semafor.com, 6 June 2025
This, too, is abetted by supporters — critics would deride them as useful idiots — who downplay or else rationalize questionable decision-making as five-dimensional chess.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
Anyone celebrating that is their own sort of useful idiot.
—Harry Siegel, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Useful idiot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useful%20idiot. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
