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
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Isabella goes on to fill the role of used and abused pawn in Heathcliff's quest for vengeance against the Earnshaw and Linton families before ultimately fleeing the Yorkshire countryside and dying young.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Alice’s former friend and cousin, Kurt (Chamberlain), a bearded symbol of what might still be for Alice minus Edgar, but who ends up being little more than a pawn in their toxic, psychological games.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Crashes, luge athletes will tell you, are part of the game, a necessary teaching tool that helps young lugers learn how to navigate sliding on their back down an icy course, sometimes faster than 90 miles per hour.—
Lindsay Schnell,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Enquirer's Neighborhood Snapshot project is an interactive, online tool for Cincinnatians to better understand their city and its neighborhoods.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
8 Feb. 2026
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“Cat's-paw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cat%27s-paw. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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