cat's-paws

Definition of cat's-pawsnext
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
Noun
  • The play unfolds as a series of battles, where the unaccomplished George and the bitterly disappointed Martha exchange vicious and demeaning insults, using Nick and Honey as the unsuspecting pawns in their war for supremacy.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
  • They were treated like pawns in a JEA chess game, played and discarded.
    Mark Woods, Florida Times-Union, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • According to the firm, portable counter-UAV solutions, such as laser dazzlers, are seen as promising tools for protecting military forces and critical infrastructure.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
  • This may stop Grammarly from reintroducing the feature or similar tools in the future.
    James Peckham, PC Magazine, 12 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-paws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cat%27s-paws. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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