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
  • Some items belonging to the people arrested also were found in a trash can in the department’s area for property and evidence, among them a folding knife, papers and a pawn shop receipt.
    — Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The problem is Harry already left it with another pawn shop owner.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But the list did not include Social Security numbers or other high-level identifying information, so analysts used the public records research tool LexisNexis to further identify people on the list.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The rules ban companion chatbots and require parental opt-in — not just an opt-out option — for direct student use of AI tools.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 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 30 Oct. 2026.

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