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butter up

verb

Definition of butter upnext
as in to honey
to praise too much a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of butter up Ben spends the afternoon buttering up Ellie and praising her cake-icing skills, and even gives her the task of decorating the wedding cake. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026 After being buttered up, the AI or the evildoer lures them into the evil intricacies. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 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 The preview for The Muppet Show reveals special guest Sabrina Carpenter buttering up Miss Piggy backstage. — Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for butter up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butter up
  1. honey
  2. congratulate
  3. stroke
  4. massage
  5. praise
  6. applaud
  7. commend
  8. flatter
Verb
  • The mouthfeel is thick, chewy, and honeyed, with a hint of marzipan.
    — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Her voice, languid and honeyed, can glide over sensual R&B, bouncing reggaetón, shimmering pop or nostalgic jazz.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Definition of honey
Verb
  • The veteran coach congratulated his team for the win and quickly pivoted to yelling about mental mistakes that kept Houston County in the game.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Williams watched the record-breaking performance on TV from his home in Glen Ellyn and called Crow-Armstrong after the game to congratulate the 24-year-old.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of congratulate
Verb
  • Rookie Ethan Salas stroked an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday night as the San Diego Padres edged the visiting Miami Marlins 7-6.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
  • But Kim stroked a walk-off single into left field in the ninth inning off Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott to give the Atlanta Braves a 6-5 victory over the Dodgers on Wednesday night.
    — Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of stroke
Verb
  • The 2027 Silverado gets a broader, more muscular face, a new grille and redesigned LED lighting, while the bodywork has been massaged to make the truck look even more substantial.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Just massage the oil into hair and then leave it in to work its magic.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of massage
Verb
  • The jury noted the film, which had its world premiere at Oldenburg, was made without a budget and praised the resourcefulness that constraint produced, comparing its tone to the irreverence of 1990s comedies.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
  • To thunderous applause, Kirchner praised the expansive welfare programs of his mother's presidency, which ended over a decade ago.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of praise
Verb
  • Stephanie Graves, chair of the LAHSA Commission, applauded the court’s ruling.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • All but one of his Sox teammates lined up down the left-field line to applaud Vasil, one of the more popular players in the clubhouse.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of applaud
Verb
  • Chicago 7th Ward Alderman Greg Mitchell, the main speaker at the unveiling, commended West’s cultural contributions and her legacy as an educator during her tenure at Chicago State University.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Bragg, whose office had sought a 20-year prison term, commended Haley and all of the women who came forward against Weinstein, several of whom attended the hearing.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of commend
Verb
  • Not to mention, Miss Pop adds, cherry cola is flattering against all skin tones and, again, all cold-weather wardrobes.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Booking reports in dollars but earns mostly in other currencies, and a weak dollar flattered early-year headline growth by several points.
    — Isabella Gao, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of flatter

Browse Nearby Words

butters up
butter up
buttery
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Butter up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butter%20up. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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