cat's-paw

Definition of cat's-pawnext
as in pawn
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-paw
Noun
  • The company was sold to pawn shop company FirstCash in 2021.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026
  • More like completely disrupting and undermining public education, using students as pawns to make a political statement.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The space program has led to the invention of heart rate monitoring technology, scratch-resistance lenses, memory foam mattresses, rechargeable batteries, wireless headphones, the Jaws of Life rescue tool, GPS and even banking technology.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
  • But investigators will use them as a tool to judge an individual's credibility.
    Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Cat's-paw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cat%27s-paw. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

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