as in sycophant
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
surrounded himself with brainless brownnosers, so no wonder the company went down the tubes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brownnoser
Noun
-
The Republican sycophants currently in office, out of fear, won’t stand up to him.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026 -
Eager sycophants run behind him to carry out his directives and repeat his absurdities.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The result of this dynamic tension of bootlickers, according to Bernhard’s narrator, is the perpetual elevation and official anointment of mediocrity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
-
If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Or a suck-up move to the Trump administration and its ridiculous claims against the media?—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Like many digital beings, Reps, as Replika’s avatars are known, are engineered to be agreeable, nonjudgmental, and zealously supportive—i.e., suck-ups.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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
-
Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2024
Noun
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
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
Noun
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If a healthy player sits, the millionaires are fine and the fans get screwed.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
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Back in frigid Chicago, fans from both sides of town could take solace in the fact that baseball games will be played from now until at least the end of September, maybe longer.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At his orders, cartel henchmen began setting fire to vehicles, gas stations and government buildings and blockaded major highways.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
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During the ensuing gun battle between soldiers and cartel henchmen, Oseguera escaped.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Brownnoser.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brownnoser. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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