as in shark
one who makes harsh, personal attacks against opponents
his reputation as a political attack dog earned him the vice presidential spot on the ticket
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attack dog
After Trump won, Giuliani continued as his attack dog, even traveling to Ukraine to seek damaging information about Biden’s son, Hunter.
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Michael R. Sisak,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
After Trump won, Giuliani continued as his attack dog, even traveling to Ukraine to seek damaging information about Biden’s son, Hunter.
—
ABC News,
3 May 2026
Now a kidnapper is after the little sister of the dead men and she’s saved by Alice and Rex, who are not attack dogs but can still inflict pain.
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Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for attack dog
Michael R. Sisak,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
After Trump won, Giuliani continued as his attack dog, even traveling to Ukraine to seek damaging information about Biden’s son, Hunter.
—
ABC News,
3 May 2026
Now a kidnapper is after the little sister of the dead men and she’s saved by Alice and Rex, who are not attack dogs but can still inflict pain.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for attack dog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attack dog
Noun
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That night, Valencia, the vessel’s captain, set out with a crew of nine from Jaramijó, Ecuador, for what was expected to be a typical three-week voyage, casting lines for shark, marlin, and tuna.
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The group stage would be a series of blowouts, the sharks would devour the minnows.
Noun
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Social media platforms were a critical battleground during the campaign, with political mudslingers waging cyberwar with few legal constraints after the government failed to act on calls for a new law to protect democracy in the internet age.
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In 2010, when the group launched ahead of Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, Brock had imposed a set of self-regulations on the staff that would cultivate an air of respectability for the mudslingers.
Noun
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Today there are two main types of lobbyists in Springfield: those who work exclusively for a single corporation or interest group — the state’s manufacturers or retailers, for instance — and those who contract with a variety of clients, essentially hired guns for anyone willing to pay.
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Every four years, ambitious consultants and hired guns sit down with aspiring presidents and sell them a lie.
Noun
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After a summer of mysterious teasers, Drake’s fourth and final livestream ahead of the album drops suggested that Iceman’s title is a reference to Richard Kuklinski, the tristate-area mob hit man (not the X-Men icon).
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And — no spoilers — a famous action movie star makes a surprise cameo as a hit man.
Noun
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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.
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In 2010, the duo separated, going opposite directions; Malice sought repentance through the church while Pusha became a hatchet man for Kanye West.
Cite this Entry
“Attack dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attack%20dog. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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