sycophantic
adjective
sy·co·phan·tic
ˌsi-kə-ˈfan-tik 
also ˌsī-
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a sycophant : fawning, obsequious
sycophantic compliments
Examples of sycophantic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several months ago, the company had to roll back a change that made the bot into a sycophantic mess that would suck up to the user at every opportunity.
—
Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025
In one recent case revealing the perils of a sycophantic bot, a man who was having manic episodes said ChatGPT's affirmations had prevented him from seeking help.
—Emma Bowman, NPR, 5 Aug. 2025
Combined with a whack-a-mole approach to product safety, the AI industry’s push toward personalized, sycophantic chatbots makes for a concerning situation.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
Early Tuesday in Israel—Monday night in Washington—the top headline on Israeli news sites was not Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump, or his sycophantic nomination of the president for the Nobel Peace Prize.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sycophantic
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.
Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025
In one recent case revealing the perils of a sycophantic bot, a man who was having manic episodes said ChatGPT's affirmations had prevented him from seeking help.
—Emma Bowman, NPR, 5 Aug. 2025
Combined with a whack-a-mole approach to product safety, the AI industry’s push toward personalized, sycophantic chatbots makes for a concerning situation.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
Early Tuesday in Israel—Monday night in Washington—the top headline on Israeli news sites was not Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump, or his sycophantic nomination of the president for the Nobel Peace Prize.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sycophantic
Cite this Entry
“Sycophantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sycophantic. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share