A puppet is a doll that you can move, either by pulling strings which are attached to it or by putting your hand inside its body and moving your fingers.
2. countable noun [oft NOUN noun]
You can refer to a person or country as a puppet when you mean that their actions are controlled by a more powerful person or government, even though they may appear to be independent.
[disapproval]
When the invasion occurred he ruled as a puppet of the occupiers. [+ of]
There are fears he will be a puppet President.
More Synonyms of puppet
puppet in British English
(ˈpʌpɪt)
noun
1.
a.
a small doll or figure of a person or animal moved by strings attached to its limbs or by the hand inserted in its cloth body
b.
(as modifier)
a puppet theatre
2.
a.
a person, group, state, etc, that appears independent but is in fact controlled by another
b.
(as modifier)
a puppet government
Word origin
C16 popet, perhaps from Old French poupette little doll, ultimately from Latin pūpa girl, doll
puppet in American English
(ˈpʌpət)
noun
1. Obsolete
a doll
2.
a small, usually jointed figure, as of a human being, moved, usually in a puppet show on a small stage, by manipulating with the hands, by pulling attached strings or wires, or by rods
3.
a person whose actions, ideas, etc. are controlled by another
adjective
4.
designating or of a state or nation that is ostensibly independent but is actually controlled by another
Word origin
ME popet < OFr poupette, dim. of *poupe < VL *puppa < L pupa, girl, doll: see pupa
Examples of 'puppet' in a sentence
puppet
It sounds awful to say but he was like a puppet master.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Here is the puppet master who plays with our days.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
But is he really free or does the vengeful puppet master continue to control his daily movements?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The powerful use you like a puppet, a doll.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
People move like puppets, and puppets like people.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
At the end of the day, the true puppet master is the human brain.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Ancelotti is poised to become the puppet master of this summer's transfer dealings.
The Sun (2013)
He was expected to give a demonstration of his discovery with a pair of bat hand puppets at the awards ceremony last night.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In one experiment, they tested infants less than a year old playing with cuddly animals and puppets.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You love being puppet master.
The Sun (2015)
Long and thin, the latter hang like a magical forest or are curved and twisted into puppet figures of varying sizes.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Now he is the puppet master behind a NATIONAL rescue.
The Sun (2008)
He becomes a puppet master and that's going to be a disaster for the Connor family.
The Sun (2015)
He's the puppet master, he pulls the strings.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He has a glove puppet on each hand, one a panda, one a seal.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
And proceeds from the sale of 35 hand puppets of the F1 supremo will also go to the relief fund.
The Sun (2011)
If you look at the guys left in the battle, you ask who is the puppet master, who belongs to who?
The Sun (2015)
And in his own head he thinks I'm some kind of puppet master who controls the media.
The Sun (2011)
In other languages
puppet
British English: puppet /ˈpʌpɪt/ NOUN
A puppet is a doll that you can move, either by pulling strings which are attached to it, or by putting your hand inside its body and moving your fingers.
American English: puppet
Arabic: دُمْيَةٌ مُتَحَرِّكَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: marionete
Chinese: 木偶
Croatian: marioneta
Czech: loutka
Danish: marionetdukke
Dutch: marionet
European Spanish: marioneta
Finnish: sätkynukke
French: marionnette
German: Marionette
Greek: μαριονέτα
Italian: marionetta
Japanese: あやつり人形
Korean: 꼭두각시
Norwegian: dukke
Polish: marionetka
European Portuguese: marionete
Romanian: păpușă
Russian: марионетка
Latin American Spanish: marioneta
Swedish: docka marionett
Thai: หุ่นกระบอก
Turkish: kukla
Ukrainian: лялька
Vietnamese: con rối
All related terms of 'puppet'
hand puppet
a doll that you can move by putting your hand inside its body and moving your fingers
puppet show
a theatrical performance with puppets
sock puppet
a simple puppet made from a sock and worn over one hand
finger puppet
a miniature puppet fitting over and manipulated by one finger
glove puppet
a small figure of a person or animal that fits over and is manipulated by the hand