lobby
noun
lob·by
| \ ˈlä-bē
\
\
plural lobbies
Definition of lobby
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a corridor or hall connected with a larger room or series of rooms and used as a passageway or waiting room: such as
a
: an anteroom of a legislative chamber
especially
: one of two anterooms of a British parliamentary chamber to which members go to vote during a division
b
: a large hall serving as a foyer (as of a hotel or theater)
2
: a group of persons engaged in lobbying especially as representatives of a particular interest group
the gun lobby the oil lobby
lobby
verb
lobbied;
lobbying
Definition of lobby (Entry 2 of 2)
: to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation
1
: to promote (something, such as a project) or secure the passage of (legislation) by influencing public officials
lobby a bill through Congress
2
: to attempt to influence or sway (someone, such as a public official) toward a desired action
lobbying senators for tax reform
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from lobby
Verb
lobbyer
noun
lobbyism
\ ˈlä-bē-ˌi-zəm
\
noun
\
noun
lobbyist
\ ˈlä-bē-ist
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of lobby in a Sentence
Noun
I'll meet you in the lobby after the show. The proposed new law is supported by the oil lobby.Verb
an organization that has been lobbying for reform of the tax laws The health-care industry has lobbied against the proposal. an organization that has been lobbying Congress for reform of the tax laws a player who has lobbied hard to be included in the team's starting lineup I lobbied our company for a new computer.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The hotel includes five restaurant concepts from a grab-and-go market to its Cut & Bourbon steakhouse attached to the lobby. — Dallas News, "'A resort in the middle of Arlington': Live! by Loews Hotel is ready for its debut," 22 Aug. 2019 Even less ambitious ideas, like those to close loopholes for gun sales and to revive an assault weapons ban, have failed again and again, thanks to opposition from gun owners and the powerful gun lobby. — Amelia Harnish, refinery29.com, "Parkland Students Announce Their Sweeping Gun Control Policy Proposal," 22 Aug. 2019 Americans are again seeing the gun lobby’s tight grip on Trump's @WhiteHouse & Republicans. — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, "Trump says gun deaths are a public health emergency but his solutions are ambiguous," 21 Aug. 2019 But after each round of killings, the political debate hasn't produced a significant response by Congress, as Republicans have joined the powerful gun lobby in resisting fresh gun-control legislation. — Author: Josh Dawsey, David Nakamura, Anchorage Daily News, "Trump again appears to back away from gun background checks," 20 Aug. 2019 The gun lobby narrowed the federal background check system, for example, to only gun dealers, and not resellers at gun shows or other places, allowing a 19-year-old to buy an assault weapon and kill in Gilroy. — Ann Ravel, The Mercury News, "Opinion: Campaign finance reform is key to ending NRA hold on Congress," 18 Aug. 2019 That coalition also needs guns, and the money provided by the gun lobby. — Tim Fernholz, Quartz, "Why the US probably won’t pass stronger gun control laws," 10 Aug. 2019 The big gun lobby gained traction after the attacks of September 11, 2001, when the Navy saw the opportunity to become relevant in the wars and insurgencies in the age of counterterrorism. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Everything We Know About the USS Zumwalt Destroyers," 5 Aug. 2019 The National Rifle Association and its allies in the gun lobby maintain a firm grip on the Republican Party, including President Trump, and thus on veto power over the passage, or even the consideration, of measures to curb gun violence. — Jeffrey Toobin, The New Yorker, "Politics Changed the Reading of the Second Amendment—and Can Change It Again," 5 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Separately, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have been examining Weber and Podesta’s lobbying work. — Tom Hamburger, Twin Cities, "Vin Weber, former Minnesota congressman, resigns from D.C. firm amid lobbying questions," 30 Aug. 2019 The Lederman's lobbying efforts worked, according to officials in the state justice system and Democratic state lawmakers. — Collette Richards, CNN, "States are trying to change a system that keeps poor people in jail. The bail industry is blocking them.," 30 Aug. 2019 The Lederman’s lobbying efforts worked, according to officials in the state justice system and Democratic state lawmakers. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "States are trying to change a system that keeps poor people in jail. The bail industry is blocking them.," 30 Aug. 2019 His passion and recognizable nature earned him a spot in the Hall of Fans in Canton, and his importance to the team allowed him to travel to Washington D.C. to lobby for the Browns to stay in Cleveland in the mid 1990s. — SI.com, "A History of Football in 100 Objects," 28 Aug. 2019 Among the information the FBI was seeking were records of communications among Madigan, McClain and Zalewski related to attempts to get ComEd lobbying work for Zalewski, a law enforcement source has said. — Ray Long, chicagotribune.com, "Judge dismisses lawsuit alleging House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political operation put ‘sham’ candidates on ballot in 2016," 23 Aug. 2019 Both Mr Barroso and Ms Kroes took up their corporate positions following an 18-month embargo on lobbying work prescribed by the code of ethics for commissioners. — The Economist, "A consulting firm founded by an outgoing commissioner tests the rules," 8 Aug. 2019 Since 2016, the ACLU has worked to prevent police departments from signing secretive deals with technology vendors by lobbying for Community Control Over Police Surveillance laws. — Louise Matsakis, WIRED, "Cops Are Offering Ring Doorbell Cameras in Exchange for Info," 2 Aug. 2019 Cobb set off for Washington, D.C., to lobby for the project. — Amber Jorgenson, Discover Magazine, "Meet the Mercury 13: Women Fight for Spaceflight," 20 May 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lobby.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for lobby
lobby
noun
English Language Learners Definition of lobby
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a large open area inside and near the entrance of a public building (such as a hotel or theater)
: an organized group of people who work together to influence government decisions that relate to a particular industry, issue, etc.
lobby
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of lobby (Entry 2 of 2)
: to try to influence government officials to make decisions for or against something
: to try to get something you want by talking to the people who make decisions
See the full definition for lobby in the English Language Learners Dictionary
lobby
noun