butters up

verb

present tense third-person singular of butter up
as in praises
to praise too much a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for butters up
  1. praises
  2. massages
  3. congratulates
  4. commends
  5. applauds
  6. strokes
  7. puffs
  8. flatters
Verb
  • Shopping editor Audrey Lee, who tested an earlier iteration of the Evolution, praises its high level of comfort and cooling abilities.
    — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Executive chef Marie Douroux at Virgin Hotels New Orleans praises these wood-growing fungi for their beauty as well as their flavor.
    — Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of praises
Verb
  • The center also has hydrotherapy chairs where athletes can lie as a jet of water, similar but much stronger than the jets in a jacuzzi, massages them.
    — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Nov. 2025
  • In a viral video shared on Instagram last Sunday under the username @whiskeytoller, the gray kitty can be seen hanging around his brother, Oakley, as his mom massages the injured area, doing his best to show his love and support.
    — Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Definition of massages
Verb
  • On their way out, and in so many words, Beatrice essentially apologizes for Smallwood’s behavior to Serena (and even congratulates her on the baby).
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • As Ospreay walks away, Kenny Omega congratulates him on his performance at Forbidden Door.
    — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of congratulates
Verb
  • Robertson commends Bowick’s candor across her two interviews, the first of which spanned two days of filming.
    — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The report commends changes including protecting wetlands, improving stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, and expanding water quality monitoring, including notification programs that warn people about unsafe conditions in rivers and streams.
    — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of commends
Verb
  • Valdes applauds her patient’s athletic lifestyle and said several large studies back the benefits of finding a physical and social activity when dealing with cancer.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Even so, Wilson applauds Hamilton for making classical studies popular and accessible through her vigorous writing style and skill as a storyteller.
    — David Conrads, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of applauds
Verb
  • The young woman on the left strokes her hair and tells her not to be nervous.
    — Anna Griffin, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • When Robbie first strokes the plush walls, her Cathy stares with the appropriate mix of awe and terror.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of strokes
Verb
  • Decapitated, the fairy of Smoking with Oneself (2021–26) puffs a cigarette from the gaping red maw of her throat.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
  • An active Sun puffs up Earth’s atmosphere, creating higher drag for satellites in low-Earth orbit.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026
Definition of puffs
Verb
  • Rigor in value measurement requires a true baseline, a metric the customer agrees on (not one that flatters you), and public results with their name on it.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The top edge of the vamp dips into a dramatic, sharp V-shape over the foot, which flatters the feet.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
Definition of flatters
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.

Browse Nearby Words

buttering up
butters up
butter up
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Cite this Entry

“Butters up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butters%20up. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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