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 Brian Henson’s adventurous stage show featuring improv and sketch comedy with the iconic Henson puppets and puppeteers is back for a limited eight-performance run. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 So spring of 2027, a stage show, all me, dancers, puppets, all my ideas. Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026 The latest episode finished off the chase and capture of the puppets in question, and also introduced us to the Puppet Master (who was also a puppet, obviously). Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Yes, puppets, made by none other than the iconic Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Joe Otterson, Variety, 22 July 2026 The documentary utilizes a montage of vintage footage with animation and felt puppets of band members, and, having played the festivals, is due for national release sometime in 2026. Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026 On April 24, a 54-year-old male had a cardiac emergency on the attraction, a gentle boat ride that floats by scenes featuring cheerful puppets. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026 The Cyclops is not a digital monster but a combination of animatronics, puppets, and computer graphics, brought to life by the performance of Bill Irwin, the same actor who gave voice and form to the robot in Interstellar. Valentina Colosimo, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026 This Franco-Swiss film from director Claude Barras deploys tenderly expressive puppets to tell the story of a boy placed in an orphanage after inadvertently killing his alcoholic mother. Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puppets
Noun
  • The Hickman Kewpies are named after a naked, smiling baby who was a favorite in a comic strip and later dolls and figurines.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Sales of Barbie dolls are also down after a pop in 2023 tied to the movie, and Mattel marketing leadership recently announced that the toy will be heavily rebranded as a fashion icon — with more clothes and accessories to accompany her on the shelf.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • With no end to the war in sight, inflation on the rise, fuel rationing and continued threats of strikes, the vast majority of the Iranian population appear not to be players, but pawns.
    Will Barker, TheWeek, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Personnel is what’s important, but Scaloni treats his players as people, not as pawns on a chessboard.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • The 750-ton building was placed onto 20 dollies and moved onto city property where it was ultimately restored and opened as a museum and events venue.
    Camila Gomez, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Each band’s gear had been set up on dollies and risers, secured under forty-foot-long tents.
    Alex Abramovich, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Organizations have a narrow window to turn these same tools toward defense before that gap closes.
    Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That’s in line with modern baseball trends, with MLB front offices employing more sophisticated evaluation tools to monitor their ascending arms.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Puppets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puppets. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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