as in to honey
to praise too much
a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss
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Recent Examples of butter up
Enter Rutte, who knew Trump from his time as Prime Minister, and who got to work buttering up the American president.
—
Tom Nagorski, Time, 18 July 2025
Images of toadies buttering up an emperor come to mind.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images Anderson, currently a free agent, could be buttering up the Commanders to get a contract offer, but there is some truth to his statement.
—Victor Williams, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
Add butter and pulse in or use a fork to break butter up into pea-size pieces.
—Mary Ann Esposito, Boston Herald, 21 May 2025
In contrast, Tai — who eventually becomes a powerful lawyer as an adult — often relies on buttering up her witnesses and using courtroom theatrics to get her point across.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
In contrast, Tai — who eventually becomes a powerful lawyer as an adult — often relies on buttering up her witnesses and using courtroom theatrics to get her point across.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Zelensky isn’t alone among prominent Ukrainians in trying to butter up Trump.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
Warming the milk and butter up first helps to avoid any milk fat white spots on top of your decadent chocolate cake.
—Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2024
Tom Nagorski, Time, 18 July 2025
Images of toadies buttering up an emperor come to mind.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images Anderson, currently a free agent, could be buttering up the Commanders to get a contract offer, but there is some truth to his statement.
—Victor Williams, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
Add butter and pulse in or use a fork to break butter up into pea-size pieces.
—Mary Ann Esposito, Boston Herald, 21 May 2025
In contrast, Tai — who eventually becomes a powerful lawyer as an adult — often relies on buttering up her witnesses and using courtroom theatrics to get her point across.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
In contrast, Tai — who eventually becomes a powerful lawyer as an adult — often relies on buttering up her witnesses and using courtroom theatrics to get her point across.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Zelensky isn’t alone among prominent Ukrainians in trying to butter up Trump.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
Warming the milk and butter up first helps to avoid any milk fat white spots on top of your decadent chocolate cake.
—Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butter up
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
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Enjoy flavored nuts, such as those that are candied, glazed, or honied, in moderation.—
Selene Yeager,
Health,
24 Feb. 2024
Verb
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Catcher Connor Wong #12 of the Boston Red Sox congratulates Aroldis Chapman #44 after their 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on July 13, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
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Friends star Courteney Cox and her boyfriend, singer Johnny McDaid, congratulated Iga Świątek after her Women’s Singles win on Saturday at Wimbledon.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Nineteen seconds later, her pass from below the basket went out to Collier, who calmly stroked another trey for a 12-point cushion.—
Mike Cook,
Twin Cities,
15 July 2025
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In the back booth of his local dive bar, Alex G strokes his beard and gazes mistily to his left, where a second bar television is playing the same game show but with a slimy purplish-green cast to the screen.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
14 July 2025
Verb
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By the late Nineties, flimsy strictures of economic decorum were being made even flimsier: massage the losses, underestimate the debts, off-load liabilities into subsidiaries, hide who owns them.—
Leigh Claire La Berge,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
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Just massage this lightweight formula into the scalp to reinvigorate follicles, prevent damage, and retain moisture.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Wiegman generally hates talking about individual players, but goes out of her way to praise Bronze’s competitive spirit.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
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But since negotiating the Paramount-Skydance merger, Ellison was spotted sitting near Trump at a UFC event earlier this year, and Trump has praised Ellison’s takeover of Paramount.—
Conor Murray,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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State leaders applauding efforts to kill the Gotion project is another sign of change in a Michigan Republican Party that in years past typically supported large automotive and economic development projects.—
Paul Egan,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
-
Reddit Reacts More than 1,000 Reddit users took to the comments across both posts to offer support and advice, with many applauding his bravery.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Scott commended the efforts of bystanders, many of whom stepped in to help injured strangers.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
20 July 2025
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In commending the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, the Holy Father prays for the consolation of those who grieve and for the recovery of the injured.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 July 2025
Verb
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Fontenot kicks off a heated exchange by declaring that women who want to snag a high-value man should shrink themselves to flatter his masculinity.—
Zak Cheney-Rice,
Vulture,
15 July 2025
-
Richard Gere’s Julian is haunted by his image, trapped in the very aesthetic that flatters him.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Butter up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butter%20up. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
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