as in soft soap
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Dissimilar Words
as in sucking (up to)
to praise too much
a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buttering up
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
The preview for The Muppet Show reveals special guest Sabrina Carpenter buttering up Miss Piggy backstage.
—Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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
The preview for The Muppet Show reveals special guest Sabrina Carpenter buttering up Miss Piggy backstage.
—Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttering up
Noun
-
Practical self-care items such as thick lotions, face masks and soft soaps that don’t irritate skin. Pragmatic.—
Ellen T. Meiser,
The Conversation,
5 Dec. 2025
-
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
Verb
-
The plan was met with mixed reaction, with some praising Starmer for taking action and others questioning the effectiveness of a blanket ban.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
White House communications director Steven Cheung dodged a question about Hokit’s comments at the fight, pivoting to praising the fighter.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
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
Verb
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What makes lemon peels so beneficial is their acidic oils; agitate the peels by rolling, chopping, and massaging them before adding to your soil to extract as many benefits as possible.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
7 June 2026
-
To heat, microwave in short intervals, massaging the rice around in between.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The fawning didn’t get him very far.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
According to Gaiani, drinking or using drugs before social situations is a major sign that your teen may be using alcohol to cope with fawning and to feel more comfortable or confident.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Western, for his part, had by this time recovered something of his usual bluster, and began again upon the subject of Blifil, commending his estate and his family with great earnestness, as though these considerations alone ought to have settled the matter long since.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
2 June 2026
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Kennedy then mentioned her daughter and became emotional while commending her work.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Turns out, this is a term of endearment, not an insult.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
-
Erinn referenced the same term of endearment in her Instagram post, which featured 20 photos of the couple throughout their relationship.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
There was only one other visitor, another mother stroking another small head.—
Fran Moreland Johns,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
-
Alongside Cruise feeding and stroking his dying cat while walking around his mansion with his gut hanging out, there are shots of planes readying for battle and collapsing polar ice caps.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buttering up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttering%20up. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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