as in sycophants
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
having surrounded himself with fawners who gave him only good news, the governor had no idea of the true state of affairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fawners
Noun
-
Eager sycophants run behind him to carry out his directives and repeat his absurdities.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026 -
And yet neither Congress nor the sycophants in the White House seem willing to stop him.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The moans announced the doubt throughout Riviera’s 18th green amphitheater, a bowl full of thousands of fans unsure if the new guy could do it.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Of the 63% of international fans who attended the Games, the United States, at 14%, bought the second-most tickets.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Like the most treacherous toadies from literature — Iago, Wormtongue, Tywin Lannister — Miller managed to shove aside rivals to latch onto his master’s ear and guide him toward more evil.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
-
And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ackie mostly barks orders at her minions to go get him, while Nighy in his home plays the bad guy demanding blood.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At his orders, cartel henchmen began setting fire to vehicles, gas stations and government buildings and blockaded major highways.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
-
During the ensuing gun battle between soldiers and cartel henchmen, Oseguera escaped.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Firmly in control of the nation’s massive federal apparatus, MAGA and its Republican lickspittles in Congress have thrived on chaos.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The result of this dynamic tension of bootlickers, according to Bernhard’s narrator, is the perpetual elevation and official anointment of mediocrity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
-
These are just some of the most prominent, powerful bootlickers stumbling right now on their own deceit and desperation.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Design devotees, creative professionals, and global nomads who value understatement over flash.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
In the past decade, the Silos have expanded to meet the enthusiasm of all these devotees.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 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.
Cite this Entry
“Fawners.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fawners. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
