1
as in to fuss
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
a young lieutenant constantly sucking up to the commanding officer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sycophant
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
I'd like to give my boss a birthday present, but I don't want to look like a shameless suck-up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of suck
Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
The mania has also sucked talent into the industry and birthed an explosion of start-ups experimenting with new approaches to building the technology.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Sara Fischer, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025
To be sure, plenty of companies are still committed to DEI programs, and not all executives are morphing into insufferable suck-ups.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for suck
Verb
Many insects have specialized mouthparts for sucking plant juices or chewing leaves.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
The mania has also sucked talent into the industry and birthed an explosion of start-ups experimenting with new approaches to building the technology.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
Sara Fischer, Dave Lawler Dec 23, 2024 - Politics & Policy
Media's suck-up moment
Fearing political retribution and strained by new business challenges, media companies that once covered President-elect Trump with skepticism — and in many cases, disdain — are reconsidering their approach.
—Sara Fischer, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025
To be sure, plenty of companies are still committed to DEI programs, and not all executives are morphing into insufferable suck-ups.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for suck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suck
Noun
-
To start the new Mideast war, Donnie acted on his own with no resistance from his sycophants, who have no backbones.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The Republican sycophants currently in office, out of fear, won’t stand up to him.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 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
-
Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2024
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
-
If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 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
-
Noem’s minions would defy and frustrate federal judges seeking basic information from DHS about the department’s compliance with court orders.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
More unnerving, though, were similar comments from cooks and fans who haven’t achieved the same levels of fame and success.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Fischer hit a ball to right field that a fan reached over the fence to catch, and Fischer was credited with a double on fan interference for a 6-2 lead.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
-
House, a Kiwi familiar from various Taika Waititi projects including the recent TV adaptation of Time Bandits, is a constance source of unexpected danger, while Hughes, George Mason and Matuse all get good moments as her variably bumbling henchmen.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
-
When Martin gets blackmailed by gangsters, the pair knock off a mafia henchman and plunge themselves deep into the Australian underworld, all while trying to keep their business afloat.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suck. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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