LAPPING (UP) Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

lapping (up)

verb

present participle of lap (up)

as in welcoming

to receive or accept gladly or readily a show-off who laps up attention the way a kitten does milk

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapping (up)

Verb

In somewhat bare-bones, cozy settings, Red Lobster became a middle-class family destination, and was welcoming to Black customers at a time when segregation, while outlawed, was still common in much of the American South.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Revealed last spring, Kering’s educational project now has entered its operational phase, welcoming more than 1,500 students enrolled in 40 programs promoted by its brands as well as seven partner schools scattered across six Italian regions.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of welcoming

Verb

Access to the private and quietly serene Regent Club, set at the top of the resort with an adults-only pool embracing the full panorama, is only included for villa and penthouse guests but is available as an add-on to suite bookings.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
The two have now met several times in person, with the elder Michael embracing his new grandfather title.

— Devon Ivie, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of embracing

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

lapping

lapping (up)

laps

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lapping (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapping%20%28up%29. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of lapping (up)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

adventitious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes