puppets

plural of puppet
1
as in dolls
a small figure often of a human being used especially as a child's plaything gave her a puppet with strings for a gift

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in pawns
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another accused the newspaper editor of being a puppet for the moneyed people of the town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 puppets One interlude, in the show's final segment, displays Brandy and Monica as puppets bound up in each other’s strings. Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 18 Oct. 2025 Think playing in the rain, collecting rocks or seashells, and doing shadow puppets and telling ghost stories at night. Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 17 Oct. 2025 They’re populated with wooden puppets representing Loro Piana artisans, adorned with a rich palette of luminous gold, deep brown, dark green and touches of Art Deco as an ode to New York City. David Moin, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025 This dance party for toddlers and preschoolers is packed with silly puppets, cheerful songs, and endless smiles! Sarah Z. Sleeper, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2025 In both France and Russia popular political satire shows with puppets ran afoul of those in power and were pushed off the air. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025 The puppets on Saludos and Sesame Street offered lessons in reading, writing, and counting in English. Priscilla Blossom, Time, 2 Oct. 2025 While Sam begins hallucinating people as puppets, Justin breaks up with him. Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 At the Make Art Zone, Semmerling will lead an activity for kids to make their own bird puppets with a moveable beak free of charge. Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puppets
Noun
  • For bones, spirits, and some menacing dolls, here’s where to go for a fright.
    Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
  • On the mansion's second floor, two wooden dolls on display could give you the creeps.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • My values include the beliefs that all of our students should feel safe, respected, and valued in our schools, that decisions should be made on the best available evidence and data, that our kids are not political pawns, that inclusion creates opportunity, and that schools shouldn’t ban books.
    Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Remember the big picture, people, and stop using taxpayers as pawns, or worse yet, collateral damage.
    Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • For all of the perils of injecting it into the newsgathering process, AI tools have also come to be seen as useful and less-fraught ways to create efficiencies in editing, advertising and other areas.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Make sure all ingredients and tools are as cold as possible.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Puppets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puppets. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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