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apple-polish

verb

ˈa-pəl-ˌpä-lish How to pronounce apple-polish (audio)
Definition of apple-polishnext
as in to curry favor
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apple-polish
  1. fuss
  2. drool
  3. 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
  • All three judges are basically drooling over how much pure quickstep content is in this routine despite some framework issues and the mistake at the end.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Toward the end of the film, that kid is grown up and stuck in an incestuous relationship with his mother, while a nearly incapacitated Dau sits drooling nearby.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of drool
Verb
  • Daunte Bacheyie impressed, and the Orange's kick returners showed much to fawn over, but Syracuse must stay disciplined as its schedule gets tougher.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2026
  • In the winter, the tech industry fawned over a similar tool called OpenClaw.
    — Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of fawn
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.

Browse Nearby Words

applauses
apple-polish
apple-polished
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Cite this Entry

“Apple-polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apple-polish. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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