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lickspittles

noun

plural of lickspittle
as in sycophants
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead a partisan news program whose host is more of a lickspittle for the White House than a serious journalist

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lickspittles Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos. — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lickspittles
  1. sycophants
  2. toadies
  3. minions
  4. bootlickers
  5. henchmen
  6. flunkies
  7. parasites
  8. suck-ups
Noun
  • For its sycophants, LIV Golf was a new flavor in the vanilla world of professional golf.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Our state is under siege by the skilled sycophants who surround the president and use his base desires as cover for their own destructive agendas.
    — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of sycophants
Noun
  • Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of toadies
Noun
  • Musashi becomes part of a crew that fights the Genma and Yoshitsune’s minions.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Just as Wolverine is surrounded, he’s saved by Mystique, who’s shape-shifted herself into one of Trask’s minions.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of minions
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
Definition of bootlickers
Noun
  • The last of Lila and Amisha’s henchmen has fled with the remaining supply of poison aerosol, intending to detonate it, on Amisha’s orders, at a nightclub.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • After crash landing on the dark world directly onto the homing beacon, EO and his crazy crew are apprehended by a gang of warrior henchmen and hauled into the throne room to face the wicked alien ruler who is imprisoned in anger and hate.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of henchmen
Noun
  • Yasmin, Tender’s briefly installed head of communications, is the first of Whitney’s flunkies to defect.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
  • For instance, Bolsonaro’s flunkies penetrated the government agency that handled film distribution.
    — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of flunkies
Noun
  • Analyzing mosquito waste showed the presence of viruses along with other parasites.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Under this theory, organisms figured out how to turn genes off to get these unruly genetic parasites under control.
    — Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of parasites
Noun
  • The implication is that American troop positioning throughout Europe will go to the biggest suck-ups.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Matthew eventually one-ups the request by losing his boxers as well and going full Winnie the Pooh, which earns him the respect of his fellow suck-ups.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2025
Definition of suck-ups

Browse Nearby Words

lickspittle
lickspittles
lid
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Cite this Entry

“Lickspittles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lickspittles. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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