bootlick

verb

ˈbüt-ˌlik How to pronounce bootlick (audio)
Definition of bootlicknext
as in to fuss
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior the kind of office in which people feel they have to bootlick in order to get ahead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bootlick Its mission was to upset hierarchies, not reinforce them, and few things were more offensive to comedians than bootlicking. — Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 Call it the bootlicking trickle-down-effect. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026 Those who delay this fate the longest are bootlicking mediocrities — the survival of the sycophants. — Michael Gerson, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootlick
  1. fuss
  2. kowtow
  3. toady
  4. drool
  5. truckle
  6. fawn
Verb
  • Perhaps only a pedant—or a hypocrite—would fuss about that kind of imprecision.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • If the offensive line’s healthy again, RB Saquon Barkley will ramble again, broadening QB Jalen Hurts’ margin for error and being fussed at by the coaching staff.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fuss
Verb
  • Most Democrats feel little choice but to kowtow to the unions.
    — Ken Girardin, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But the league needs to protect its players, and be careful not to kowtow too much to its critics.
    — Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of kowtow
Verb
  • The only other psychological need that rivals his thirst for toadying is the pursuit of .
    — Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Hamlet’s toadying friends, the hangers-on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are Izzard’s own talking hands, popping up to face her like a pair of Muppets.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2024
Definition of toady
Verb
  • Dogs that spend time outdoors, shed heavily, drool frequently, or have accidents may need more frequent cleaning.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Mix these finds into your work wardrobe or your off-duty ensembles—they’re versatile enough to do it all, and the festive palette is worth drooling over.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of drool
Verb
  • Garbarino enjoyed his time with the Southern river rats and mountain folk, and their refusal to truckle to authority delights him to this day.
    — David Samuels, Town & Country, 18 Oct. 2013
Definition of truckle
Verb
  • For other competitors in the accessible luxury market, Longchamp offers a valuable case study in bucking the trend of excessively fawning Gen Z content, at a time when luxury is at risk of losing its hold on youth culture.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • There was fawning coverage in international news outlets, and Bette Midler even wrote an entire mandarin duck picture book.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fawn

Browse Nearby Words

bootlessness
bootlick
bootlicked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bootlick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootlick. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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