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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Vex can use that energy to empower herself, or channel it to conjure deadly minions that fight alongside her.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025 -
Later in the season, Ellie — now trying to hunt down Abby to deliver the same fate to her — brutally kills Nora, one of Abby's minions.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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There, all animals undergo full medical evaluations, including testing for diseases, worms, and parasites.—
Meg Dunn,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
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The medication used to treat some parasites has also been used to treat COVID-19.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This is the same lineup, full of younger and mostly unproven players, that has kept the Rangers on the fringe of the wild card spot, a point of irritation among fans.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
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One of her biggest, most vocal fans, Ariana Grande, presented the pop legend with the honor.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the past, Newsom denounced judges who ruled against them as toadies of the firearms industry.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
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Naturally his reliable Republican toadies lined up to support him.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The vacuum itself has a six-stage filtration system (main cycle, mess filter, dura-cycle, coarse sponge, fine sponge and HEPA 13 filter).—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
3 Sep. 2025
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Don't make the mistake of using abrasive cleaning products or scrubber sponges on your mixer.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2024
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What happened to the idea that art and culture should be a contemptuous refuge from the mainstream, as opposed to this lickspittle, running dog accommodation to the mainstream?—
Billboard Staff,
Billboard,
3 June 2022
Noun
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This has become a notable concern about how AI as a sycophant is potentially impacting society at large, which could have alarming mental health consequences on a population-level basis further down the road (see my analysis at the link here).—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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He’s surrounded mostly by true believers and sycophants and able to engage somewhat freely in various forms of government dismantling and corruption.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Items from the Dorothy Porter Wesley rare book collection of slave narratives and abolitionist tracks will also be included.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
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And there's actually what's known as slave castles, in Africa.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
27 Aug. 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 11 Sep. 2025.
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