plural hatchet men
: a person whose job is to do harsh and unpleasant things that other people do not want to do
She doesn't criticize her opponent's character directly. She has her hatchet men in the media do it for her.
He was fired by his boss's hatchet man.
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“Hatchet man.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/hatchet%20man. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.
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