as in brownnoser
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
a transparent apple-polisher whose fulsome praise fooled no one
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apple-polisher
Noun
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Some eager minion jumped the gun and published in the morning what was supposed to be the post-ceremony press release announcing the winners.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025 -
Miami should have purged the roster even more, shipping off starters for draft picks, but apparently none of the bids enticed Ross and his minions, who are the individuals really calling the shots now.—
Omar Kelly
November 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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That, combined with a decisive second-half performance, represented the good in Sunday’s matchup, the part that may give fans hope about a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.—
Scott Chasen,
Kansas City Star,
10 Nov. 2025
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When Posa slammed Washington quarterback Demond Williams to the ground for a game-clincher on fourth-and-6, some 70,000 fans erupted as if thawed from a long freeze.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
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This draft meeting resembled a bully in the high school cafeteria seeking toadies — any veneer of scouting objectivity was shed.—
Michael Hurley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The challenges in killing a parasite Trying to kill an acanthamoeba while protecting the eye is complicated.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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There's no shortage of parasites eating away at her sanity.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Don't forget that sponges can also be placed on the top rack to remove bacteria and grime.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
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Apply the paste to the glass door using a sponge.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Trump’s ego and his lickspittles’ desire to feed it, should have nothing to do with commemorating the founding.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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California’s vulnerable House Republicans are a diverse gaggle that includes new blood and old-timers, a Trump antagonist and a Trump lickspittle.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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If there were a Cruelty Olympics, Trump’s sycophants would all be elbowing each other for the gold.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Mercury News,
7 Oct. 2025
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The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That aesthetic also reflects in the exquisite costumes by Olivier Bériot and Catherine Leterrier (in one scene, a henchman wears clothing featuring the same pattern as the elaborate wallpaper to camouflage).—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
11 Dec. 2025
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Also newly attached to Write to Kill are Simon Newton and Mike Wood, who will play henchmen.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
4 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Apple-polisher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apple-polisher. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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