cog

noun

Definition of cognext
as in assistant

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cog The app has become a quintessential cog in the dating machine—especially in those liminal stages, the flirtations and the breakups. — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 That is up to a human using the tool, which makes the person behind each prompt a crucial cog in any workflow. — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 18 June 2026 The 49ers view Williams as a versatile cog in their defensive line machine, with the ability to set the edge in running situations and pass rush against guards on passing downs. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 5 June 2026 Edouard Julien, a key cog in the 2023 team as a rookie, was sent to Colorado in a minor league swap. — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cog
  1. assistant
  2. subordinate
  3. underling
  4. worker
  5. employee
  6. flunky
  7. yes-man
  8. retainer
Noun
  • Bollo, the son of a domestic worker and a line cook, said he’s applied to work as a teaching assistant and graduate researcher, which would waive the cost of his tuition.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • How — and to what extent — AI might reshape her profession remains to be seen, but jobs for administrative assistants and secretaries have been dwindling for decades.
    — Claire Savage, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of assistant
Noun
  • Mayor Dean Trantalis, Commissioner Steven Glassman and Commissioner John Herbst took issue with her leadership, accusing her of being dismissive to subordinates and ruffling too many feathers.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • Put simply, the theory says the president should be able to issue orders to subordinates and to fire them at will.
    — Graham G. Dodds, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
Definition of subordinate
Noun
  • France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival gets underway this weekend with Illumination’s Minions & Monsters, the latest movie devoted to the mischievous army of yellow underlings first introduced in 2010 breakout Despicable Me.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 June 2026
  • Towards the end of the season, Chris relapses and starts using again, leading to a car crash that leaves him maimed, giving Tony no other option but to whack his underling.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of underling
Noun
  • Buses come and go, bearing workers from all over the country.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
  • Childs has been running Bectu, which represents the interests of behind-the-camera workers across TV, film and theater, since 2018, overseeing 10,000 new subscribers and an expansion into areas like live events and fashion.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 July 2026
Definition of worker
Noun
  • Only two of the union’s 22 represented employees live in El Dorado Hills, according to union data.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • The suspect entered a Wells Fargo Bank branch and demanded money from a bank employee.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
Definition of employee
Noun
  • Yasmin, Tender’s briefly installed head of communications, is the first of Whitney’s flunkies to defect.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
  • For instance, Bolsonaro’s flunkies penetrated the government agency that handled film distribution.
    — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of flunky
Noun
  • The first, Jim O’Neill, is a biotech entrepreneur who lacks a degree in medicine or public health and was widely seen as a yes-man for Kennedy.
    — Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
  • During the rollout of ChatGPT’s GPT-4o model in 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman agreed with X users that the chatbot had a problem with being a yes-man.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of yes-man
Noun
  • An agency should not accept any retainers unless they are paid for achieving certain results rather than deliverables.
    — Tyler Dykstra, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • To conceal the scheme and hide the bribes, prosecutors say, Zhu entered into a sham retainer agreement with Carone’s younger brother, Anthony Carone, 54, who is alleged to have laundered the payments through his law firm.
    — Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 2 July 2026
Definition of retainer

Browse Nearby Words

cofounders
cog
cogency
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Cite this Entry

“Cog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cog. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cog

Nglish: Translation of cog for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cog

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