butter up

butter up

verb

Definition of BUTTER UP

to praise too much <a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss>

Synonyms adulate, belaud, blarney, butter up, hero-worship, honey, massage, overpraise, puff, soft-soap, stroke

Related Words blandish, cajole, coax, sweet-talk, wheedle; fawn, kowtow, suck (up to), toady; idolize, worship; eulogize, extol (also extoll), laud, praise; applaud, commend, compliment; congratulate, felicitate; drool, gush, slaver, slobber; endear, ingratiate; court, romance, woo

Near Antonyms bad-mouth, belittle, decry, depreciate, disparage, put down