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
-
Your president and his minions spread war, chaos, lies and economic instability.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026 -
Scott Quigley, a loyal minion of yet another septuagenarian Democrat hack DA, Marian Ryan of Middlesex County.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Grammy winner is known to be a fan of Dôen, having previously worn the brand's Benoit Dress in Noir Wild Rose for dinner with Dakota Johnson at Via Carota in New York City in May 2025.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
When the lights came up, fans stood and cheered for the cast.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
His embrace of Trump‘s endorsement and refusal to admit that Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election expose him as a toady.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
It’s caused by a parasite, Cytauxzoon felis, that dwells in a species of tick known as the Lone Star tick − named for a single white dot on the backs of adult females.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
21 May 2026
-
Tick bites can transmit bacteria, parasites and viruses into your blood.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Use a sponge or nylon-bristle brush dipped in the soapy solution to scrub the furniture.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
16 May 2026
-
Considerations Before Getting Started Never use abrasive sponges, metal utensils, or harsh chemicals to clean your microwave.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Firmly in control of the nation’s massive federal apparatus, MAGA and its Republican lickspittles in Congress have thrived on chaos.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Hypocritical Democrats and their sycophants in the media are rushing to evade blame for inciting political violence in the country including the latest assassination attempt of President Trump.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Republicans in Congress have become spineless sycophants to a president who only sees the beauty of this country in dollar signs.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The result of this dynamic tension of bootlickers, according to Bernhard’s narrator, is the perpetual elevation and official anointment of mediocrity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
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If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Apple-polisher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apple-polisher. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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