stooge

Meaning

Noun

1. One who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit; a dupe.
2. A magician's assistant who pretends to be a member of the audience.
3. A straight man.
4. A secret informant for police.
5. A confederate; a person who is secretly working for the researcher, unknown to the study participant.

Verb

To act as a straight man.

Synonyms

lackey

underling

subordinate

flunky

flunkey

butt

dummy

goat

🐐

henchman

laughingstock

minion

puppet

straight man

yes man

yes-man

marionette

mock

assist

follower

follow suit

hired killer

guy

muck around

hit man

horse around

hunting ground

idiot

imitate

informer

jeer

josh

kid

🧒

ape

🐒

lampoon

laugh at

mime

pupet

newcomer

novice

object

benefact

quisling

satellite

📡

scapegoat

servile

slave

spineless person

spoof

spy

stool pigeon

Translations

Strohmann

pelota

hazmerreír

riota

llepacrestes

rentacares

burlot

Handlanger

Polizeispitzel

Spitzel

Fingerspitze

Strohfrau

Handlangerin

Arschkriecher Speichellecker

llepaculs

Pronounced as (IPA)

/stuːd͡ʒ/

Etymology

Perhaps an abbreviation of Russian студе́нт (studént) [stʊˈdʲent]; the original meaning was “stage assistant, actor who assists a comedian”. It may have been a Yiddish vaudeville term.