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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Recent Examples of hobbyhorse
Laqueur’s book has no particular thesis to hobbyhorse for, and yet a unified-field theory of aesthetic dogginess might be distilled from its pages.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 May 2026
The notion that Winston Churchill, not the German Führer, was the villain in World War II — another of Buchanan’s hobbyhorses — is again gaining ground on the right.
—Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2025
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
Old-fashioned hobbyhorses entice shoppers to imagine riding on them.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 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
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 May 2026
The notion that Winston Churchill, not the German Führer, was the villain in World War II — another of Buchanan’s hobbyhorses — is again gaining ground on the right.
—Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2025
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
Old-fashioned hobbyhorses entice shoppers to imagine riding on them.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobbyhorse
Noun
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Committee Chair Rhodesia Ransom, D-Tracy, said the Local Government Committee was expected to continue refining the measure and would also work with State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant to address the hobby rocketry concerns.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
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Skydiving was not only a hobby for Michael, but also a connection to his beloved sister, an example of his commitment to his family.—
Dylan Lysen,
Kansas City Star,
15 June 2026
Noun
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After hours of driving around Los Angeles County, the California Highway Patrol successfully ended the pursuit with a PIT maneuver in Lancaster.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
More a sophisticated salon than sports bar, Champagne is doing the invigorating work for those in the pursuit of luxury and a hat trick that giant LED screens will be doing elsewhere.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Academy and elite club teams essentially robbed prep soccer of its best players by forcing them to choose between their high school teams and elite club programs, demanding a year-round commitment and banning participation in other sports.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
One of the most accomplished individuals in Tech’s sports history, Hall coached the Yellow Jackets from 1994 through 2025, earning ACC coach of the year honors five times.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
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The cultural upbringing, hobbies, avocations, passions, and beliefs of Mercado and Oscar are virtually the same.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
-
As Sottile sees it, the dog-show economy thrives on dog lovers’ sense of avocation.—
Kelli María Korducki,
HubSpot,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As this author reported in amusement industry title Blooloop, Al Mubarak’s pioneering approach brought the Louvre, the Natural History Museum and a National Museum to Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island cultural district with a Guggenheim on the way.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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The popular Pennsylvania amusement venue said guests ages 15 and under must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other supervising adult during all operating hours, effective June 12.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hobbyhorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobbyhorse. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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