suck (up) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of suck (up)next
1
as in to fuss
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior a young lieutenant constantly sucking up to the commanding officer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to soak (up)
to take in (something liquid) through small openings these lilacs sucked up all the water I added to the vase yesterday

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suck-up

2 of 2

noun

ˈsək-ˌəp How to pronounce suck-up (audio)
as in sycophant
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead I'd like to give my boss a birthday present, but I don't want to look like a shameless suck-up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 suck (up)
Noun
Ditto his despicable aides and Cabinet members, his unprincipled sycophants and suck-ups. — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026 Matthew eventually one-ups the request by losing his boxers as well and going full Winnie the Pooh, which earns him the respect of his fellow suck-ups. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2025 But the joke’s on us — Republican senators, who are the only players with any real power to stop them, have simply decided not to, all so that President Camacho can play at government with his favorite suck-ups. — S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025 To be sure, plenty of companies are still committed to DEI programs, and not all executives are morphing into insufferable suck-ups. — Allison Morrow, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suck (up)
  1. fuss
  2. drink
  3. sycophant
  4. drool
  5. absorb
  6. lickspittle
  7. kowtow
  8. bootlicker
Verb
  • Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
  • No need to fuss-up something that's just as delicious prepared simply.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Definition of fuss
Verb
  • Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • These men knew some simple and worthwhile truths, like where to eat, what to drink, and how to welcome a stranger.
    — Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026
Definition of drink
Noun
  • In an undersized team that already shares a worldview, the silicon sycophant doesn't catch the blind spot.
    — Matt Poepsel, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Ditto his despicable aides and Cabinet members, his unprincipled sycophants and suck-ups.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
Definition of sycophant
Verb
  • The clearest early warning is heavy, frantic panting when a dog has not been exercising, along with drooling, red or dark gums, weakness or vomiting.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
  • Isaacs said the symptoms of heat stress or heat stroke include excessive panting, drooling, vomiting, seizures or collapse.
    — Renee Anderson, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of drool
Verb
  • The Cohesion 18 sneakers are outfitted with a thick, supportive sole that absorbs impact and offers stability, a rubber outsole for traction, and a sockliner to prevent friction burn and blisters.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026
  • Creators now hold more leverage — often keeping ownership and creative control — a shift from the old model of studios simply absorbing influencers into existing productions.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of absorb
Noun
  • Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Firmly in control of the nation’s massive federal apparatus, MAGA and its Republican lickspittles in Congress have thrived on chaos.
    — Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
Definition of lickspittle
Verb
  • The decision has led to accusations that FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has kowtowed to Trump, who last year won FIFA’s inaugural peace prize, prompting European lawmakers to call for an investigation into how the prize was awarded, Le Monde reported.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 6 July 2026
  • Yet at the deadline, Frank said the quiet part out loud about how the Clippers used to build the roster to kowtow to Leonard, but the time for those maneuvers was over.
    — Law Murray, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of kowtow
Noun
  • The result of this dynamic tension of bootlickers, according to Bernhard’s narrator, is the perpetual elevation and official anointment of mediocrity.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
  • If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of bootlicker

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Cite this Entry

“Suck (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suck%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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