1
as in butter
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
-
Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating after each addition until just combined.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Peanut or nut butters can work in a pinch.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That rule is nonsense — especially with two applicants who pretty clearly spend most of their time in Tallahassee, and two who work in Lakeland.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2026
-
But the residency rule is nonsense.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What Bednar has helped coax out of the Avalanche is nothing short of remarkable.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Vrabel, who played alongside Brady for Bill Belichick before establishing himself as a coach in Tennessee, led them to a 14-3 record while coaxing a possible MVP performance out of now-sophomore QB Drake Maye.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 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
-
In recent months, Europeans have mostly opted for diplomacy and flattery around him, even when seeking an end to the war in Ukraine.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Advertisement An alternative to flattery AI proposed by researchers from Harvard and the University of Montreal is antagonistic AI.—
Arianna Huffington,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The next slide showed a mouthwatering array of meats, cheeses, crudite and nuts set for snacking on, along with bottles of Haack's champagne line, Clé Cachée, chilling behind an array of glasses.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
For instance, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and chocolate are more prone to oxidation, which can lead to rancid flavors or a gritty texture.—
Bridget Shirvell,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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During Glaser's interview with Stern, the shock jock praised her for mocking CBS News despite the Golden Globes airing on CBS.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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Jackson also praised his son’s skills as a father in a 2022 interview with Tru Rock Revival.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
So, go ahead, give a pound of peanut-butter fudge from Chatham Candy Manor ($20), or two pounds of Shriver’s taffy ($30), or a tin of Peppermint Divinity from the Vermont Country Store ($17), or a tub of Dubble Bubble ($19).—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 Dec. 2025
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The staff had piled a toy train high with Modjeskas and stuffed a sleigh with chocolate suckers and egg nog taffy.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blarney.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blarney. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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