sycophancy
noun
sy·co·phan·cy
ˈsi-kə-fən(t)-sē 
also ˈsī-,
-ˌfan(t)-
: obsequious flattery
also
: the character or behavior of a sycophant
Examples of sycophancy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For my strident recommendations on how to combat AI sycophancy and not fall into its tight psychological grip, see the link here.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
That April, OpenAI also rolled back an update to ChatGPT that the company said made the GPT-4o model overly flattering and agreeable, known as sycophancy.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 28 May 2026
His sycophancy has left him disbarred and broke.
—John Avlon, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
Politeness and adapting to someone’s communication style are not the same as sycophancy.
—Cody Turner, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sycophancy
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Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
That April, OpenAI also rolled back an update to ChatGPT that the company said made the GPT-4o model overly flattering and agreeable, known as sycophancy.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 28 May 2026
His sycophancy has left him disbarred and broke.
—John Avlon, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
Politeness and adapting to someone’s communication style are not the same as sycophancy.
—Cody Turner, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sycophancy
Cite this Entry
“Sycophancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sycophancy. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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