as in minions
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 brownnosers
Noun
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Nobody wanted to go there — well, except the oil and gas companies aching to root around for black gold, and their most loyal minions in high places.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026 -
Israel is also a part of the ceasefire but was subjected to a last-minute barrage of missile attacks today from Iran and its minions.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Pete Crow-Armstrong dashed from third base, tapped the plate and then darted to the fans behind home, jumping on the railing against the netting to celebrate the Chicago Cubs’ walk-off, extra-innings, 2-1 win over the New York Mets at Wrigley Field.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Frost Bank Center in San Antonio was decked out with the Spurs’ 1990s-era logo and colors and the fans had matching bright shirts to match.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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Will any other sycophants in his cult get the message?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
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To start the new Mideast war, Donnie acted on his own with no resistance from his sycophants, who have no backbones.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Key witnesses in the government’s case included Spann’s top henchmen, who cooperated with prosecutors in hopes for leniency.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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This is potentially disastrous, given that Josh is now in the custody of the chairwoman’s henchmen.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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These conditions can facilitate the spread of viruses, bacteria and parasites.—
Meg Tanaka,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
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Unclean bottles can grow bacteria, fungi, and parasites that may cause gastrointestinal symptoms.—
Laura Schober,
Health,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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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
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These are just some of the most prominent, powerful bootlickers stumbling right now on their own deceit and desperation.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Brownnosers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brownnosers. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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