cat's-paw

Definition of cat's-pawnext
as in pawn
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another these changes to the zoning laws have only confirmed for many that the town council has become the cat's-paw of local real estate developers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cat's-paw
Noun
  • Pawn Shop Set inside the former Collateral pawn shop on Melrose, this summer opening reimagines a longtime family run neighborhood fixture as a 7,800-square-foot sports-viewing hub.
    Kaila Yu, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • The organization is treating these athletes as political pawns instead of as young people with their own families, goals, futures and careers to think about.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Systems thinking has become unavoidable, and art has become a crucial tool for making invisible systems legible—and for fighting back.
    Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
  • Small businesses, despite their economic impact, underutilize AI, treating it merely as a chat tool disconnected from core operations like QuickBooks or HubSpot.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Cat's-paw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cat%27s-paw. Accessed 27 May. 2026.

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