1
as in flattery
excessive praise
laid the blarney on thick in order to get special treatment from the waitress
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
his excuse was his usual blarney about how he'd love to help out but he was just so darned busy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to coax
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
attendants at the nursing home sometimes have to blarney the patients to take their medicine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to honey
to praise too much
an eager, young assistant who blarneys the boss shamelessly
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blarney
John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2022
This might come as a surprise given the outsized and blarney-filled headlines on social media to the contrary.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 4 June 2022
Menu: soda bread with Irish whiskey butter and fried cabbage and rashers; pork bangers and Irish colcannon with red onion gravy and blarney stones and Irish bananas.
—Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 9 Mar. 2022
The blarney is still strong here (lapsing into Irish dialect is an occupational hazard of reading him), but these characters also act.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for blarney
Noun
After years of listening to Boris Johnson’s blarney, many Britons have had their fill, at least for now, of hot air cleverly channelled.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2022
This might come as a surprise given the outsized and blarney-filled headlines on social media to the contrary.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 4 June 2022
Menu: soda bread with Irish whiskey butter and fried cabbage and rashers; pork bangers and Irish colcannon with red onion gravy and blarney stones and Irish bananas.
—Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 9 Mar. 2022
The blarney is still strong here (lapsing into Irish dialect is an occupational hazard of reading him), but these characters also act.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for blarney
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blarney
Noun
-
Over the past year many European leaders have tried to assuage Trump with a combination of flattery and accommodation, while drawing occasional red lines, such as with the American designs on Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Opt for wispy wisteria bangs for something low maintenance or turn up the face-framing flattery with a thicker curtain fringe.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Targeting this furniture-maker for selling furniture is complete nonsense, and anyone with influence should say so.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Get out of here with that nonsense.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That’s not exactly the same, of course, but both use a similar maturation method to coax extra flavors out of the liquid, specifically notes of vanilla, maple, butterscotch, and spice.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Work-from-home orders came back in some countries after years of companies trying to coax workers back to offices after the pandemic, with Vietnam and Thailand reportedly getting employees to work remotely.—
Lim Hui Jie,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Her voice, languid and honeyed, can glide over sensual R&B, bouncing reggaetón, shimmering pop or nostalgic jazz.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Those harmonies — simultaneously honeyed and gravelly, providing just enough support without overshadowing, yet so powerful and full of potential — echoes Whitten.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
2 July 2024
Noun
-
Yes, Joseph Woll was again stellar, stopping 31 of 33 shots and earning deserved praise for his aggressiveness and agility.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
15 Mar. 2026
-
That’s lofty praise, to be sure.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Better yet, grind your own from peanuts or other nuts in stores that have a grinder, or do it at home in a food processor.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Points are given for having at least three natural food sources for wildlife, things like seeds, native plants, nuts and cones, host plants for caterpillars, a layer of fallen leaves, insects, etc.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bowen nipped in ahead of Calvin Bassey and passed to Summerville, who advanced to stroke his fifth league goal of the season, and seventh in 10 appearances across all competitions, into the unguarded net.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
This could have caused the plaque to chip off and cause a fatal heart attack or stroke any time over the next 5-10 years, maybe even sooner.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the potential adulation, superior high-end driving and desire for performance come at a supreme cost.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The adulations heaped upon me at this point are getting nauseating.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blarney.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blarney. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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