Thesaurus results for SUCK-UPS

suck-ups

noun

plural of suck-up

as in sycophants

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

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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 suck-ups 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for 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

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

Definition of lickspittles

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

Bryan pushed back at the time, arguing that the song spoke to both sides of the aisle and urging fans not to let social media narratives divide them.

— Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2026
With choreography from frequent collaborator Sean Bankhead, the visuals felt like a return to form, one that fans had long been anticipating.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of fans

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suck-up

suck-ups

suck (up to)

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“Suck-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suck-ups. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of suck-ups

noun

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