cat's-paws

noun

plural of cat's-paw
as in pawns
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another these changes to the zoning laws have only confirmed for many that the town council has become the cat's-paw of local real estate developers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cat's-paws
  1. pawns
  2. tools
Noun
  • Ownership is not in bankruptcy, is contesting the foreclosure in court, has offered the lender any and every constructive solution, but will not allow these tenants to be further used as pawns.
    — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Melton was a Mountain West All-Academic pick who today is an avid chess player, moving pawns on his phone or going toe-to-toe with Justin Verlander in the middle of the clubhouse.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of pawns
Noun
  • Issue 3 would allow these projects to be financed through district revenues, bonds and other financial tools.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Amazon is always chock-full of deals on seasonal clothing, multifunctional cleaning tools, and buzzy beauty products, but Prime members can unlock even more savings.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of tools
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.

Browse Nearby Words

cat's-paw
cat's-paws
catachreses
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Cite this Entry

“Cat's-paws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cat%27s-paws. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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