1
as in attack dog
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2
as in wordmonger
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Recent Examples of hatchet man
While he was sent by the White House to be a hatchet man, Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, should use a scalpel with care, conducting a real, legitimate probe that seeks ways to save money for taxpayers and improve outcomes for patients.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2026
In 2010, the duo separated, going opposite directions; Malice sought repentance through the church while Pusha became a hatchet man for Kanye West.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
Arthur is known as Conkling’s hatchet man, a customs collector for the Port of New York who’s shown, in one amusing snippet, presiding over the beating of a noncompliant businessman.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
The White House and its hatchet men attacking culture are coming for the artists, curators, museum directors, docents, writers, and editors who value freedom and liberation and Black history and women’s history and ideas and progress.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Musk’s extracurricular gig as President Donald Trump’s hatchet man has turned the Tesla brand — once a favorite among upwardly mobile lefties — into a symbol of America’s right wing.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, there have been mass firings at the FBI, reportedly instigated by Trump hatchet man Kash Patel, who awaits Senate confirmation to head the FBI.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2025
Back home, more pink slips for federal employees go out and the scrutiny of Elon Musk's role as the hatchet man for those agencies intensifies.
—CBS News, 16 Feb. 2025
Musician and producer Grimes made a rare comment involving her ex-partner and father to her three kids, Elon Musk, after their 4-year-old son appeared alongside the tech mogul turned government hatchet man at the White House on Wednesday.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Feb. 2025
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2026
In 2010, the duo separated, going opposite directions; Malice sought repentance through the church while Pusha became a hatchet man for Kanye West.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
Arthur is known as Conkling’s hatchet man, a customs collector for the Port of New York who’s shown, in one amusing snippet, presiding over the beating of a noncompliant businessman.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
The White House and its hatchet men attacking culture are coming for the artists, curators, museum directors, docents, writers, and editors who value freedom and liberation and Black history and women’s history and ideas and progress.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Musk’s extracurricular gig as President Donald Trump’s hatchet man has turned the Tesla brand — once a favorite among upwardly mobile lefties — into a symbol of America’s right wing.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, there have been mass firings at the FBI, reportedly instigated by Trump hatchet man Kash Patel, who awaits Senate confirmation to head the FBI.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2025
Back home, more pink slips for federal employees go out and the scrutiny of Elon Musk's role as the hatchet man for those agencies intensifies.
—CBS News, 16 Feb. 2025
Musician and producer Grimes made a rare comment involving her ex-partner and father to her three kids, Elon Musk, after their 4-year-old son appeared alongside the tech mogul turned government hatchet man at the White House on Wednesday.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hatchet man
Noun
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Vance often has served as an attack dog for the administration, including lashing out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office visit.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Vance has spent the first year as the White House No. 2 as an attack dog for Trump while appealing to the president’s more populist base and burnishing his bona fides with younger conservative voters, particularly Turning Point USA, in the aftermath of the death of co-founder Charlie Kirk.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The animal's owner, who officials said also owns the other two dogs, describes it as a pit bull.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Bahama, a 4-year-old pit bull mix, had a pretty good day out from a dog’s perspective.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And yet, in the last chapter of her ghostwritten book, Whoopi Goldberg acknowledges some misgivings about using a ghostwriter.—
Emily Hodgson Anderson,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The author is a ghostwriter, writing coach and former Times contributor.—
Gali Kronenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Benedikt Althaus, who goes by Xariif, wore a tiger fursuit draped in red, white and blue stripes and splotches, reminiscent of the American flag.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The jungle, in the Truong Son range between Laos and the South China Sea, is home to tigers and leeches.—
Nicole Young,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Powering the portable scribbler is 1.7-GHz dual-core processing supported by 2 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Sep. 2025
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All remaining scribblers should lay down their squibs and come out, squinting, arms aloft in surrender.—
Jayson Greene,
Time,
17 June 2025
Noun
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With that hack, job candidates began submitting résumés regardless of whether a job opening asked for one.—
Stephen Mihm,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
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Some of the crypto wallets used in these hacks were also linked to the North Korean state actors known for their involvement in WannaCry and the 2014 hack of Sony Pictures by Lazarus Group.—
Jessica Klein,
PC Magazine,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While the hero existed — as did Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, or at least musketeers with similar names — most of the actual stories are invented, either by the sensationalist biographer or Dumas himself.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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As Truell takes a Zoom call, the image of Caro—legendary biographer of Lyndon Johnson and Robert Moses, known for his exhaustive, decades-long research—looms over his shoulder, sweatered, bespectacled, writing intently.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At least one of his cowriter nominees, Mehdi Mahmoudian, was unable to leave Iran to attend Sunday’s awards.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Zamiri and Aitchison worked closely with cowriter Bertie Brandes to crack the movie, which chronicles a dramatic shift for Charli as an artist, as people start to see her in a different light.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hatchet man.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hatchet%20man. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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