as in shark
one who makes harsh, personal attacks against opponents
his reputation as a political attack dog earned him the vice presidential spot on the ticket
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attack dog
One good example is former President Richard Nixon, who was a fierce attack dog as Dwight D. Eisenhower’s vice president in the 1950s, leaving Eisenhower as the commander in chief who transcended politics.
—
Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Liberal college lecturer Storer H. Rowley goes after Trump like the newspaper’s personal attack dog.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025
The American Kennel Club says that the breed is often thought of as attack dogs because of their reputation.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
As vice president, Vance is expected to champion Trump’s agenda and serve as an attack dog when needed.
—Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for attack dog
Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Liberal college lecturer Storer H. Rowley goes after Trump like the newspaper’s personal attack dog.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025
The American Kennel Club says that the breed is often thought of as attack dogs because of their reputation.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
As vice president, Vance is expected to champion Trump’s agenda and serve as an attack dog when needed.
—Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for attack dog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attack dog
Noun
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After several moments, the shark managed to wriggle free and return to the ocean unharmed.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Take along snorkel gear—every stop is a chance to swim with sea turtles and even the occasional reef shark.—
Carla Vianna,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Social media platforms were a critical battleground during the campaign, with political mudslingers waging cyberwar with few legal constraints after the government failed to act on calls for a new law to protect democracy in the internet age.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
12 Dec. 2019
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In 2010, when the group launched ahead of Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, Brock had imposed a set of self-regulations on the staff that would cultivate an air of respectability for the mudslingers.—
Gabriel Debenedetti,
Daily Intelligencer,
20 May 2018
Noun
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Today there are two main types of lobbyists in Springfield: those who work exclusively for a single corporation or interest group — the state’s manufacturers or retailers, for instance — and those who contract with a variety of clients, essentially hired guns for anyone willing to pay.—
Dan Petrella,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Nov. 2024
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Every four years, ambitious consultants and hired guns sit down with aspiring presidents and sell them a lie.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
17 Aug. 2023
Noun
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The previous night, she was threatened in her own home by the Colombian hit man Cortez.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
14 Dec. 2025
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There are also two professional hit men (Roney Villela and Gabriel Leone), hired by that tycoon, that are hot on his trail.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In 2010, the duo separated, going opposite directions; Malice sought repentance through the church while Pusha became a hatchet man for Kanye West.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
19 Dec. 2025
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Arthur is known as Conkling’s hatchet man, a customs collector for the Port of New York who’s shown, in one amusing snippet, presiding over the beating of a noncompliant businessman.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attack dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attack%20dog. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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