APPLE-POLISHING Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

apple-polishing

verb

present participle of apple-polish

as in fussing

to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for apple-polishing

Verb

Similar to Egypt after its collapse earlier in the week, Switzerland exited fussing about the officiating.

— Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.

— Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 June 2026

Definition of fussing

Verb

All three judges are basically drooling over how much pure quickstep content is in this routine despite some framework issues and the mistake at the end.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
Toward the end of the film, that kid is grown up and stuck in an incestuous relationship with his mother, while a nearly incapacitated Dau sits drooling nearby.

— Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of drooling

Verb

What distinguishes Camper, at least musically, is his deference to classic R&B signifiers without kowtowing to pastiche.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
After all, the series largely avoids other topical issues of modern campus life, from freedom of speech restrictions to administrators kowtowing to autocracies.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026

Definition of kowtowing

Verb

His stature will prevent draftniks from fawning over him, and even opponents aren’t immune to underestimating him in person.

— Antonio Morales, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Naturally, the Venice Film Festival was swiftly fawning over George Clooney on Wednesday, as the Oscar-winning star arrived (via boat, of course) to pick up his Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of fawning

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apple-polishes

apple-polishing

applesauce

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“Apple-polishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apple-polishing. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of apple-polishing

verb

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