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
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For example, a group of minions might be pretending to fight a group of Vikings on a movie set, or enough alien spaceships to fill the entire screen appear and shoot their lasers at once.
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And minions have taken over Wendy’s frosty machines with a new banana flavor.
Noun
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Most standard portable filters only catch parasites, so check that any filter is certified to NSF Standard 53 or 58 with a small enough pore size.
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Most portable filters won’t catch viruses or bacteria, but one certified to NSF Standard 53 or 58 with a small enough pore size can remove parasites.
Noun
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Both groups of fans put on a good showing to wrap up the group-stage games, and all could be seen celebrating after each of the three goals from their country’s athletes.
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Every four years, fans pour into stadiums, sports bars and watch parties to cheer some of the world’s fittest athletes.
Noun
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Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.
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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.
Noun
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Now, Lilith must team up with Cinderella to fight biker trolls, outrun evil henchmen, and escape the Screaming Woods.
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Launched in early 1982, the original MOTU line-up saw He-Man and Skeletor joined by heroes Teela (at this point, the only female character), Man-at-Arms and Stratos; the morally ambiguous Zodac; and a couple of Skeletor's henchmen, Beast Man and Mer-Man.
Noun
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Ditto his despicable aides and Cabinet members, his unprincipled sycophants and suck-ups.
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Trump’s worried sycophants probably know that the details of an eventual agreement likely do not matter very much at this point.
Noun
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Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.
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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.
Noun
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This $8 find keeps utensils in their place (literally), and this sink organizer has a spot for brushes, sponges, dish soap, and even drains water back into the sink for zero mess.
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Hang towels, bath mats, and washcloths, loofahs, or sponges to air-dry thoroughly after each use since damp towels can encourage mold growth.
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Cite this Entry
“Apple-polishers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apple-polishers. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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