attack dog
noun
1
: a dog trained to attack on command or on sight
2
: a person noted for harsh, personal, and usually public verbal attacks against others
a political attack dog
—usually hyphenated when used before another nounattack-dog tactics
Examples of attack dog in a Sentence
The charges against the candidate were made by one of the governor's attack dogs.
his reputation as a political attack dog earned him the vice presidential spot on the ticket
Recent Examples on the Web
Zelizer said both Walz and Vance will look to carry out their roles of attack dogs for their respective campaigns.
—
Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2024
The role of a presidential running mate is typically to serve as an attack dog for the person at the top of the ticket, arguing against the opposing presidential candidate and their proxy on stage.
—Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2024
Vice presidential nominees traditionally play the role of attack dog for the top of their tickets — in this case, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 1 Oct. 2024
Vice presidential picks have traditionally taken on the role of political attack dog, laying into opponents so that their running mate can appear above the political fray.
—Will Weissert, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attack dog 
Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2024
The role of a presidential running mate is typically to serve as an attack dog for the person at the top of the ticket, arguing against the opposing presidential candidate and their proxy on stage.
—Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2024
Vice presidential nominees traditionally play the role of attack dog for the top of their tickets — in this case, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 1 Oct. 2024
Vice presidential picks have traditionally taken on the role of political attack dog, laying into opponents so that their running mate can appear above the political fray.
—Will Weissert, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attack dog
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attack dog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Attack dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attack%20dog. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
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