stooge

[ stooj ]

noun

1. any underling, assistant, or accomplice.
2. an entertainer who feeds lines to the main comedian and usually serves as the butt of the jokes.

verb (used without object)

, stooged, stoog·ing.

1. to act as an underling, assistant, or accomplice.

stooge

/ stuːdʒ /

noun

1. an actor who feeds lines to a comedian or acts as his foil or butt
2. slang.
   someone who is taken advantage of by another

verb

1. slang.
   to act as a stooge
2. slang.
   foll byabout or around (esp in the RAF) to fly or move about aimlessly

Word History and Origins

Origin of stooge¹

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of stooge¹

C20: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Its corporate stooge Mr Paradox, played by Succession's Matthew Macfadyen, tries to covertly recruit Deadpool to help safeguard the central "sacred" timeline of reality by sacrificing his world.

From BBC

Boris Epshteyn, a longtime Trump stooge, traveled with him Thursday to court in Manhattan, even as he didn't go into the building.

From Salon

Putin has denigrated opposition activists and war critics as spoiled Western stooges, once describing them as “foam washed away” by his “special military operation.”

From Seattle Times

Engoron was an unlikely antagonist for the former president, who has repeatedly denounced him as a Democratic stooge.

From Seattle Times

There is no doubt that Trump would appoint a corrupt crony to head the Justice Department, and that stooge would kill the case.

From Salon

Related Words

• fall guy
• lackey
• pawn
• puppet