as in brownnosers
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-polishers
Noun
-
Your president and his minions spread war, chaos, lies and economic instability.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026 -
There’s a steadiness to Tung/Wonder Woman that stands out for its quiet authority in a frequently goofy landscape peppered with poisonous robes and finger-eating minions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After being tested for airtightness, helium was pumped into the glass enclosure through thin tubes inserted into the lead lining, to protect the document from corrosive oxygen and parasites.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
-
Always wear gloves before handling nests to protect yourself from any germs or parasites.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Noun
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For a club already facing relegation on the pitch, their own fans may have just dealt them the final, crushing blow.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
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The bulk of the fans who remained after Detroit’s blowout Game 7 loss at Little Caesars Arena were there for the Cleveland Cavaliers after being bussed in by owner Dan Gilbert.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
18 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
-
Like the most treacherous toadies from literature — Iago, Wormtongue, Tywin Lannister — Miller managed to shove aside rivals to latch onto his master’s ear and guide him toward more evil.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Competing alongside two Americans, Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly), Lee methodically dispatches Han’s henchmen and avenges his sister’s death in the process.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 May 2026
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The silent henchmen opened the Lada’s back door and got in beside me, leaving the passenger seat empty.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Who wants to stand with him, other than the sycophants in his Cabinet and party?—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 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
-
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
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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
-
Use natural dish scrubbers made from cellulose, coconut coir or loofah instead of synthetic sponges.—
Ryan Brennan
May 11,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2026
-
Another 2026 study from researchers at the University of Bonn found common kitchen sponges released measurable amounts of microplastics annually.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Apple-polishers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apple-polishers. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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