as in hobby
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure
oil painting became the hobbyhorse of her long years of retirement
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Recent Examples of hobbyhorse
Throw these men off their hobbyhorses, off the tracks of their discourse.
—
James Parker, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
Never mind the crime issue or that favorite Trumpian hobbyhorse, immigration and the border.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
Riding clubs and hobbyhorse camps foster those close connections.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2024
In part that’s because, to climb back on an old hobbyhorse of mine, platforms are still too stingy with the data that might help researchers understand them better.
—Casey Newton, The Verge, 24 May 2023
Nor does the Trooper seem to hobbyhorse longitudinally or wobble laterally while running straight on some surfaces, as the S-10 Blazer sometimes does.
—Pete Lyons, Car and Driver, 26 Mar. 2023
The short-wheelbase Suzuki hobbyhorses over these rhythmic disturbances and sets your guts a-bouncing.
—Kevin Smith, Car and Driver, 4 Mar. 2023
This is a hobbyhorse of Washington progressives, both because federal jurisdiction over gun crimes hinges on their movement in interstate commerce, and because bloviating about guns is more palatable than addressing who exactly is using guns illegally, a third rail in Democratic Party politics.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 5 Feb. 2022
Most of the criticism is baseless tripe hatched to advance Trump or some other Fox News hobbyhorse, though there have been plenty of legitimate reasons to bash MSNBC and CNN over the years.
—Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 19 July 2022
James Parker, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
Never mind the crime issue or that favorite Trumpian hobbyhorse, immigration and the border.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
Riding clubs and hobbyhorse camps foster those close connections.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2024
In part that’s because, to climb back on an old hobbyhorse of mine, platforms are still too stingy with the data that might help researchers understand them better.
—Casey Newton, The Verge, 24 May 2023
Nor does the Trooper seem to hobbyhorse longitudinally or wobble laterally while running straight on some surfaces, as the S-10 Blazer sometimes does.
—Pete Lyons, Car and Driver, 26 Mar. 2023
The short-wheelbase Suzuki hobbyhorses over these rhythmic disturbances and sets your guts a-bouncing.
—Kevin Smith, Car and Driver, 4 Mar. 2023
This is a hobbyhorse of Washington progressives, both because federal jurisdiction over gun crimes hinges on their movement in interstate commerce, and because bloviating about guns is more palatable than addressing who exactly is using guns illegally, a third rail in Democratic Party politics.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 5 Feb. 2022
Most of the criticism is baseless tripe hatched to advance Trump or some other Fox News hobbyhorse, though there have been plenty of legitimate reasons to bash MSNBC and CNN over the years.
—Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 19 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobbyhorse
Noun
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Henley’s day job and his hobby have provided him some rare yet nerve-wracking opportunities.—
Edgar Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2025
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What began as a simple hobby quickly evolved into a more ambitious project, and before long, Zilveti was outlining the world with needle and thread.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The logical solution would have been to trade some of the starting pitching for hitting in the offseason, especially with ownership providing the front office with a tight budget that precluded the pursuit of pricy free agents.—
John Perrotto,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
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In her wild behavior, her pursuit of chaotic situations and turbulent relationships, there is exhilaration with a purpose.—
Anahid Nersessian,
The New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
8 Mar. 2025
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The lack of activity was pilloried on sports talk radio and in various online Canucks fan spaces.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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These avocations can take many shapes—traveling, golf, time with family, snowboarding, knitting, hunting, gardening, fishing, church choir, college football, crossword puzzles, theater, cycling, and walking.—
Wes Moss,
Forbes,
17 Dec. 2024
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What began as an avocation turned into a serious occupation, as Fox Solomon turned to documenting the remnants of segregation visible in Chattanooga and across the South.—
Christina Cacouris,
The New Yorker,
24 Sep. 2024
Noun
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The stark contrast between her daytime and nighttime behavior has only added to the amusement of viewers, many of whom have left lighthearted comments.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Now proprietors are going after adults with concepts like Holey Moley and Punch Bowl Social, which combines eating and drinking with nostalgic amusements such as billiards, bowling, darts and arcade games.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hobbyhorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobbyhorse. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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