butter

noun

ˈbə-tər How to pronounce butter (audio)
Definition of butternext
as in flattery
excessive praise a junior exec who was laying on the butter so thickly that her colleagues were ready to gag

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for butter
  1. flattery
  2. praise
  3. soft soap
  4. sweet talk
  5. adulation
  6. acclaim
Noun
  • While the purpose of the video may have been didactic, Jiang tried her hand at flattery.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 25 July 2026
  • Sanghee, who has a day job importing snacks and shoots short films in her spare time, spends two days with the family as old secrets, unsolicited advice and hollow flattery come to the surface.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 July 2026
Definition of flattery
Noun
  • Grant, however, has already drawn the praise of coach Jeff Hafley.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
  • But for all the praise Boone showered on Lombard on Friday, the skipper didn’t want to put any sort of timeline on his ETA or comment on whatever boxes the farmhand may still need to check.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
Definition of praise
Noun
  • People should wash any skin that comes into contact with the slurry with water and soft soap, before using a hand cream to avoid dryness and cracking.
    — Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2024
  • Founder and creative director Joy Cho’s lifestyle brand offers whimsical products, spanning bandages to soft soap, as well as regular editorial content online.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2021
Definition of soft soap
Noun
  • Watch an encounter full of sweet talk, gaslighting and tension here.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Don’t fall for compliments that don’t feel genuine, and don’t be afraid to confront whatever’s beneath someone’s sweet talk.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Definition of sweet talk
Noun
  • The people standing included A-list Hollywood stars and world leaders, all giving the Prince and Princess of Wales a very public show of respect and adulation.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
  • Fans showered Ovechkin with cheers and adulation, despite his refusal to acknowledge the surrounding uncertainty.
    — Sean Gentille, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of adulation
Noun
  • Directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Ryan Gosling and a returning Ford, the film received critical acclaim.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
  • Since its debut, the series produced by Media Res, Echo Films and Hello Sunshine has racked up four Emmy Awards and one Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award among critical acclaim.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026
Definition of acclaim
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Phrases Containing butter

Browse Nearby Words

butted (on or against)
butter
buttered up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Butter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butter. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on butter

Nglish: Translation of butter for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about butter

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