as in hero-worshiped
to praise too much
a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttered up
Verb
-
West, in an interview, congratulated Dokes on her decision to run and welcomed her to the race.—
Ella McCarthy,
Arkansas Online,
17 Oct. 2025 -
The Democratic National Committee congratulated Mamdani on his win but is hardly sending resources to a race that has drawn annoyance from the typical raft of consultants still trying to figure out what, exactly, the party can sell in the next cycle.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Several applauded Clark’s transparency and sincerity.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Trump has been applauded by Israelis and Palestinians, as well as world leaders, for his efforts.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Cornelia joined the pair towards the end of their dance, which delighted judge Kym, who praised the way the trio kicked off the night.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Judges praised the emotional depth and technical growth of the performance.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
There was a time when Chiles would have been commended for her service.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Stern later commended Winfrey's charitable work elsewhere in the episode.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Cornerback Darnay Holmes, suffering from a thigh cramp and desperate to return to the game in the final minutes, pulled down his uniform pants — exposing his backside — while a trainer vigorously massaged the area.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Some bridesmaids prayed, others massaged her head, while others burned Palo Santo and turned to natural remedies.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are firm and the center is puffed up and wet-looking.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Bake until puffed and set, about 10 to 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ohtani stroked a triple into the right field corner in his first at-bat Thursday and scored on Mookie Betts’ double.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The Tigers tied the game in the eighth when Spencer Torkelson stroked a two-run double off reliever Matt Brash, who wound up getting the win.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Your 11-year-old self must have felt quite flattered.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The fundamental truth that Madrid look a long way from finding their best, have many problems to deal with, and that recent results perhaps flattered Alonso’s side.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Buttered up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttered%20up. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share