as in hero-worshiped
to praise too much
a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttered up
Verb
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When the outcome was sealed, players formed a pile on the court as the coaches congratulated each other under a storm of confetti resembling snowflakes, some doing angels.—
Gary B. Graves,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Dec. 2024 -
But Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Sunni groups that Iran supports, congratulated the Syrian rebels of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist group, on their victory over Assad.—
Hamidreza Azizi,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Also; regardless if the Rockies are good or bad; shouldn’t they be applauded for bringing up prospects early and not pausing for a future control that might be meaningless?—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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The banking industry has applauded Republican lawmakers for reversing the cap on overdraft fees.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After reminding me of this quote, Grantham commended Prince, kind of.—
John Cassidy,
The New Yorker,
23 Dec. 2024
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Many social media comments, meanwhile, commended Baldoni's promotional message for viewers to always have hope.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
22 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Buttered up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttered%20up. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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