stooge
1 of 2noun
ˈstüj 
1
a
: one who plays a subordinate or compliant role to a principal
b
: puppet sense 3
2
: straight man
3
: stool pigeon sense 1
stooge
2 of 2verb
stooged; stooging
intransitive verb
: to act as a stooge
congressmen who stooge for the oil and mineral interests 
New Republic
New Republic
Example Sentences
Noun a gangster and his stooges He's just a stooge for the oil industry.
Recent Examples on the Web Josh Newman, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 July 2022 But Sonntag wasn’t interested in being a Communist stooge or enduring a lifetime of drudgery for a meager wage. Longreads, 2 Mar. 2022 Cobra installs a stooge as the ruler of Alaska, Gerky Potemkin. David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 2 May 2022 Many others denounced him as a stooge of Washington, unduly critical of Russia’s war aims and prospects. Chris Buckley, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2022 That nightclub and drug distribution hub is owned by mob boss Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and run by his sleazy stooge Oz (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell in countless pounds of latex), who will go on to become the Penguin. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2022 His comments are those of a stooge for Russian aggression. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 4 Mar. 2022 And Donald Trump has just been a stooge for Putin from the beginning. Leila Atassi, cleveland, 25 Feb. 2022 Amazon is not the only business guilty of playing the stooge, of course. Marco Rubio, National Review, 3 Feb. 2022 See More
Noun
Klatt’s heel turn as a network-employee stooge was disappointing, no doubt, but so were some other heel turns that come to mind immediately. Josh Newman, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 July 2022 But Sonntag wasn’t interested in being a Communist stooge or enduring a lifetime of drudgery for a meager wage. Longreads, 2 Mar. 2022 Cobra installs a stooge as the ruler of Alaska, Gerky Potemkin. David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 2 May 2022 Many others denounced him as a stooge of Washington, unduly critical of Russia’s war aims and prospects. Chris Buckley, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2022 That nightclub and drug distribution hub is owned by mob boss Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and run by his sleazy stooge Oz (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell in countless pounds of latex), who will go on to become the Penguin. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2022 His comments are those of a stooge for Russian aggression. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 4 Mar. 2022 And Donald Trump has just been a stooge for Putin from the beginning. Leila Atassi, cleveland, 25 Feb. 2022 Amazon is not the only business guilty of playing the stooge, of course. Marco Rubio, National Review, 3 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
origin unknown
First Known Use
Noun
1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1939, in the meaning defined above
stooge
noun
1
as in lackey
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- lackey
- sycophant
- toady
- henchman
- lickspittle
- apparatchik
- flunkie
- flunkey
- minion
- flunky
- yes-man
- acolyte
- myrmidon
- hanger-on
- satellite
- soldier
- disciple
- adherent
- camp follower
- epigone
- loyalist
- votary
- missionary
- partizan
- protégé
- proselytizer
- apostle
- follower
- partisan
- pupil
- supporter
- liege man
- convert
- student
- votarist
- faithful
- advocate
- ideologist
- champion
- idealogue
- ideologue
- fan
- cultist
- backer
- zealot
- devotee
- enthusiast
- sectarian
- scholar
- worshipper
- idolater
- admirer
- idolator
- worshiper
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- traitor
- turncoat
- renegade
- defector
- apostate
- leader
- coryphaeus
2
as in buffoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
- buffoon
- clown
- poser
- harlequin
- masquerader
- pantomimist
- comedian
- impressionist
- imitator
- personator
- pantomime
- ape
- mime
- masker
- zany
- tragedian
- farceur
- double
- tragedienne
- mimic
- aper
- ham
- understudy
- prima donna
- monologist
- monologuist
- spear-carrier
- supernumerary
- scene-stealer
- costar
- coactor
- extra
- walk-on
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonactor
- sapogenin
- sapogenins
- saponaceous
- saponaceousness
- saponaceousnesses
- Saponaria
- saponariae
- saponarias
- saponary
- Saponi
- saponifiable
- saponification
- saponification number
- saponification value
- saponifications
- saponified
- saponifier
- saponifiers
- saponifies
- saponify
- saponifying
- saponin
- saponines
- saponins
- saponis