often attributive
1
a
: a small-scale figure (as of a person or animal) usually with a cloth body and hollow head that fits over and is moved by the hand
b
2
3
: one whose acts are controlled by an outside force or influence
a puppet ruler
Examples of puppet in a Sentence
a dictator who was perceived as being an American puppet
gave her a puppet with strings for a gift
Recent Examples on the Web
The real reason is to wreak as much havoc as humanly possible, or at least that’s what we’re given to believe from the way the hostess swans about while deftly manipulating dozens of puppet strings simultaneously.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2025
DePriest won a full drama scholarship to the University of Oklahoma and after college acted on stages in Dallas and hosted two local TV shows, Ladies First and Maggie and Her Friends, a kids program with puppets.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
A number of the puppets featured in Fraggle Rock — like Uncle Traveling Matt and Doozer — are also up for auction, with each estimated to fetch at least $40,000.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
How was using the puppet on set with the actors?
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puppet
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David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2025
DePriest won a full drama scholarship to the University of Oklahoma and after college acted on stages in Dallas and hosted two local TV shows, Ladies First and Maggie and Her Friends, a kids program with puppets.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
A number of the puppets featured in Fraggle Rock — like Uncle Traveling Matt and Doozer — are also up for auction, with each estimated to fetch at least $40,000.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
How was using the puppet on set with the actors?
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puppet
Cite this Entry
“Puppet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puppet. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
puppet
noun
pup·pet
ˈpəp-ət 
1
: a doll moved by hand or by strings or wires
2
3
: a person or a government whose acts are controlled by an outside force or influence
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