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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cat's-paw
Noun
-
Renee Nicole Good was a pawn of leftist politicians and activists who beguiled her into believing that ICE officers are the bad guys and that there is virtue in attacking them, breaking the law and resisting arrest.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Jan. 2026 -
In his addled mind, the millions of people in these cities who depend on federal funds for health, transit, education and whatever else are only pawns in a broader struggle to consolidate his own authority by any means necessary.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Gardening Tools Garden tools should be cleaned after every use to remove fungi, bacteria, and pests that can be transferred to healthy plants.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
-
And keep your in-flight essentials like headphones, sleep mask, e-reader, and other tech tools together in your personal item that stays with you at the seat rather than in the overhead bin.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 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.
Cite this Entry
“Cat's-paw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cat%27s-paw. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
