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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
-
Piled high into a thick, split-top bun, the tender chunks of lobster meat are mixed with a just-right amount of mayo (or with warm butter, if that’s your preference) and served with potato chips.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The seasonal menu leans into Southern ingredients and sustainability, with dishes like Carolina trout with lemon-dill butter or seared scallops over risotto.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
While countless users dismissed the theories as nonsense, the dog pile had begun causing the hot takes to go viral.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Bon Jovi’s team dismissed word of the tour as nonsense.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Justine becomes a frequent customer there, hitting the vodka hard and coaxing her occasional hookup, young cop Paul (Alden Ehrenreich, terrific), to slide off the wagon.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The Commanders have publicly committed to $2.7 billion towards the project, but in the revised agreement, the city council was able to coax some financial concessions out of the team.—
Jason Clinkscales,
Sportico.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Enjoy flavored nuts, such as those that are candied, glazed, or honied, in moderation.—
Selene Yeager,
Health,
24 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
Its flattery is intended to keep people engaged and coming back for more.—
Russell Shaw,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
-
Imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Use it to find and retrieve stray nuts or bolts in any crevice.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, kale and asparagus are also included in most low-carb diets—as are eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt and nuts like walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts and pistachios.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
All were praised for easy-to-access anchors and ample legroom.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Carbon dioxide usually gets blamed for climate change, not praised for solving it.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Volunteers in yellow shirts handed out grapes, watermelon, taffy and Gatorade to community members, and white candles to be lit.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Shop for taffy at Zeno’s Boardwalk Sweet Shop, rent a jet-ski from Fly-N-High Waverunners, or book a deep-sea fishing excursion at Hubbard’s Marina.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blarney.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blarney. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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