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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Ackie mostly barks orders at her minions to go get him, while Nighy in his home plays the bad guy demanding blood.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026 -
His latest lesson was giving the finger to a worker at a Michigan auto plant who yelled at him for his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy, thereby giving license to his minions to do the same in any conflict or disagreement.—
Bob Kustra,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many of the other dogs showed signs consistent with long-term outdoor neglect, including parasites, dental issues, and untreated medical conditions such as Giardia, fleas, and ticks.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
-
People can get parasites in ways including spending time in areas with them, from contaminated food or water, or from bug bites.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many fans have no opinion at all.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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Some fans weren't too pleased with Noah's jokes and pleaded with the Grammys to re-evaluate hosting responsibilities.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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
-
Kyle’s wife, Tracy, suddenly leaves Kingstown for her sister’s home in Ohio this week, urged by Kyle and Mike to get herself and her baby as far away from Merle’s henchmen as possible.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
23 Nov. 2025
Noun
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And yet neither Congress nor the sycophants in the White House seem willing to stop him.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
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Laws mean nothing to Trump or his administration of sycophants.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Dirty sponges, towels, and dishes are the most common gross kitchen items.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
4 Feb. 2026
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Consider other products that complement the shower steamer experience, like shower gels, lotions and loofah sponges, in your gift set too.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 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 6 Feb. 2026.
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