plural lobbies
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

2 of 2

verb

lobbied; lobbying

intransitive verb

: to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation

transitive verb

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
lobbyer 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
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Last Saturday evening, a recent Columbia University graduate student named Mahmoud Khalil was greeted in the lobby of his apartment building, in Morningside Heights, by four plainclothes agents from the Department of Homeland Security. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025 Arrested in a Manhattan hotel lobby in September, Combs is facing life in prison if found guilty. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
The Big Three automakers, Ford, GM and Stellantis, have been lobbying for months asking that these tariffs not apply to parts or vehicles that meet the strict requirements of the USMCA, NPR's Camila Domonoske tells Up First. Brittney Melton, NPR, 6 Mar. 2025 And Cybill Shepherd was lobbying for an actor named Harley Venton to land it. Marc Berman, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lobby

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Medieval Latin lobium gallery, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German louba porch

First Known Use

Noun

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1820, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of lobby was in 1596

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lobby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lobby. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

lobby

1 of 2 noun
plural lobbies
1
: a hall or entry especially when large enough to serve as a waiting room
a hotel lobby
2
: a group of persons engaged in lobbying
the oil lobby

lobby

2 of 2 verb
lobbied; lobbying
: to try to influence public officials and especially members of a legislative body

Legal Definition

lobby

1 of 2 noun
lob·​by
plural lobbies
: a group of persons engaged in lobbying especially as representatives of a particular interest group

lobby

2 of 2 verb
lobbied; lobbying

intransitive verb

: to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation

transitive verb

: to attempt to influence or sway (as a public official) toward a desired action
lobbyer noun
lobbyist noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lobby

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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