in someone's pocket
Under their influence
To be in someone's pocket is to be under their control or influence, typically through financial dependence or corruption.
The phrase suggests a person can be carried around like loose change, available whenever needed: Half the city council is in the developer's pocket.
Once you take their money, you're in their pocket.
- subservienceExcessive willingness to obey
- ownershipLegal right of possession
- relianceState of needing support
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
dirty money · on the take · palm greasing · collusion · dominance · pulling strings · submission · nepotism · blackmail · bought · bought and paid for · quid pro quo · coercion · favoritism · compromised · puppet · yes man · leverage
in someone's pocketindependent
Free from external control
autonomous · self-governing · free agent · self-determined · uncontrolled
in someone's pocketimpartial
Showing no preference
neutral · unbiased · disinterested · objective · even-handed
in someone's pocketincorruptible
Impossible to morally compromise
unbribable · above reproach · beyond reproach · squeaky clean · uncorrupted
someone, pocket, pockets, pocketed, pocketing, pocketful, some, ones