1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

doormat

noun

ˈdȯr-ˌmat How to pronounce doormat (audio)
Definition of doormatnext
as in coward
a person without strength of character a doormat who always gave in to his father's demands

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 doormat The Indiana Hoosiers have been a recruiting doormat for the entire existence of industry rankings and recruiting services. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Alexandra Iordanou, the founder of Alex Jordyn Interiors, cautions against using too-small doormats or runners. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 19 July 2026 To minimize debris on the floor, ensure that every entrance has a doormat both inside and out. — Martha Stewart, 10 July 2026 Ono’s transgressive instincts are evident early on in the exhibition, with Painting to be Stepped On (1960), which, true to its name, is a piece of canvas spread on the floor like a doormat. — Julie L. Belcove, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for doormat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doormat
  1. coward
  2. reed
Noun
  • No, and as true as all that might be, the most important lesson is that DEI turns people into cowards.
    — Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
  • But Coyote has hitched his hopes for the mammoth case upon a man who could only be called a coward.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of coward
Noun
  • An animal’s croaking rides away with the wind, and two sparrows rise from the reeds.
    — Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Baydon's tattoo needle is a spiky thorn of a pomelo tree attached to a thin bamboo reed.
    — Marisol Delarosa, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of reed

Browse Nearby Words

doorman
doormat
doormats
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doormat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doormat. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of argot

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All