as in hobby
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure
oil painting became the hobbyhorse of her long years of retirement
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hobbyhorse
There must have been hundreds of them made, a stable of hobbyhorses, and one had ended up in the basement of our house in Massachusetts.
—
Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
It is also blighted by Tanenhaus’s hobbyhorses, which are especially evident in his caviling when promoting his book.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 June 2025
Both parties instead must make the case that federal funding for research is not a partisan hobbyhorse but a source of long-term economic and political strength.
—David G. Victor, Foreign Affairs, 28 May 2025
The treatment of white farmers in South Africa has been a hobbyhorse of South African X owner Elon Musk for quite a while.
—ArsTechnica, 14 May 2025
In 2017, the National Institutes of Health asked Hotez to meet with Kennedy to move him off the hobbyhorse of a vaccine-autism link.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Mergers and acquisitions of media companies is an area squarely in the FCC’s purview, which cannot be said of Section 230 and more tech-adjacent regulation that have also been Carr hobbyhorses.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
Throw these men off their hobbyhorses, off the tracks of their discourse.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
It is also blighted by Tanenhaus’s hobbyhorses, which are especially evident in his caviling when promoting his book.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 June 2025
Both parties instead must make the case that federal funding for research is not a partisan hobbyhorse but a source of long-term economic and political strength.
—David G. Victor, Foreign Affairs, 28 May 2025
The treatment of white farmers in South Africa has been a hobbyhorse of South African X owner Elon Musk for quite a while.
—ArsTechnica, 14 May 2025
In 2017, the National Institutes of Health asked Hotez to meet with Kennedy to move him off the hobbyhorse of a vaccine-autism link.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Mergers and acquisitions of media companies is an area squarely in the FCC’s purview, which cannot be said of Section 230 and more tech-adjacent regulation that have also been Carr hobbyhorses.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
Throw these men off their hobbyhorses, off the tracks of their discourse.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobbyhorse
Noun
-
With thousands of such satellites up there, even engaging in amateur astronomy as a hobby — looking at the night sky through a telescope or binoculars — would suddenly become an extremely risky activity.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
15 Oct. 2025
-
While Hastings has turned his attention to hobbies like skiing since giving up his CEO role, Iger has developed a reputation for wanting to hang around as Disney's head honcho.—
Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For most others, though, the Michelin pursuit is a non-negotiable, to borrow a term from The Bear.—
Laurie Woolever,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
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Now the pursuit of thrill seekers, subway surfing has picked up steam online, thanks in part to viral social media videos, with the activity having been adopted in big cities such as New York.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Together, their 33-piece collection is an expression of two Sohos, built around ideas of Americana, prep, and sport but anchored in traditional British flair; in short, the perfect fall capsule.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
13 Oct. 2025
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But music has underscored the former Bronx Bomber’s journey from the beginning, its duet with sport carrying him to serious success in two disciplines that seem impossible to align.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
My vocation as a writer and editor and my avocation as a gardener and composter go hand in hand.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Retired from her long vocation as a research chemist, Schafer, at 81, remains on the job with her avocations.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
The film takes place in 1954 almost exclusively over the course of one evening at a party thrown by the newly wed Hedda who wields literal and figurative weapons for her own personal amusement and potential financial gain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The new security measures announced in May also included a requirement for minors to be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older in the ride area, but organizers announced in August that the 2025 festival would not have amusement rides.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hobbyhorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobbyhorse. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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