puppet
- A movable model of a person or animal that is typically moved either by strings controlled from above or by a hand inside it, used in entertainment and performance. nounThe children were fascinated by the puppet show at the fair.She skillfully manipulated the puppet to make it appear as if it were dancing.
- A person, group, or country under the control of another, often used to suggest a lack of autonomy or independence. nounThe new government was criticized as being a puppet of foreign powers.He was seen as a puppet leader, with the real power lying elsewhere.