butters up

present tense third-person singular of butter up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for butters up
Verb
  • Under this light, Penelope emerges as exemplary, cunning, wounded, and trapped by the male order that praises her.
    David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
  • Ornatov praises this cleaner for its ability to dissolve and absorb the mess, which keeps you from having to scrub the same spot repeatedly—time saved, effort reduced.
    Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 June 2026
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
Verb
  • As Ospreay walks away, Kenny Omega congratulates him on his performance at Forbidden Door.
    Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • This logic would not have barred any of the Jim Crow voting devices that the Roberts Court frequently congratulates itself and the nation for overcoming.
    Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • Pat O'Donnell, executive director of SAG-AFTRA's Washington-Mid Atlantic Local, which represents hundreds of NPR journalists, commends the network's approach to making job cuts.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 18 May 2026
  • Miss Manners commends you for not being one of them.
    Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher, center left, applauds for John Mellencamp during the 27th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Celebrating Bill Maher.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Iran defying obstacles at the World Cup Iran’s Hossein Kanani applauds fans after a 0-0 draw against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday.
    David Hickey, NBC news, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • When Robbie first strokes the plush walls, her Cathy stares with the appropriate mix of awe and terror.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026
  • For an artisanal twist, look no further than Ezcaray Matisse throw that looks as if Georgia O’Keeffe applied the paint brush strokes herself.
    Kristine Hansen, Architectural Digest, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • An active Sun puffs up Earth’s atmosphere, creating higher drag for satellites in low-Earth orbit.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026
  • With its telltale cone shape, the northernmost of Sicily's Aeolian Islands is home to a volcano that puffs on a near-constant basis.
    Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This midi dress has an A-line shape that flatters your natural figure while still giving you room to breathe.
    Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
  • Rutte frequently flatters the president, crediting him with getting NATO members to increase their defense spending.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 June 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Butters up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butters%20up. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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