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
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Recent Examples of suck-ups
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
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suck-ups
Noun
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And yet neither Congress nor the sycophants in the White House seem willing to stop him.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
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Laws mean nothing to Trump or his administration of sycophants.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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His latest lesson was giving the finger to a worker at a Michigan auto plant who yelled at him for his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy, thereby giving license to his minions to do the same in any conflict or disagreement.—
Bob Kustra,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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For instance, Bolsonaro’s flunkies penetrated the government agency that handled film distribution.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
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The conservative dynamic duo representing the minority on the council against Wu and her progressive flunkies have repeatedly seen their proposals and bills rejected or just ignored by Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, a Wu ally.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Many of the other dogs showed signs consistent with long-term outdoor neglect, including parasites, dental issues, and untreated medical conditions such as Giardia, fleas, and ticks.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
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People can get parasites in ways including spending time in areas with them, from contaminated food or water, or from bug bites.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Conrad wasn’t sure how football fans would react but said most people eagerly accepted a towel.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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By the end of that format’s 12-year run, including several instances in which the best overall driver of the year was shut out from the title or even competing in the championship race, a majority of fans and drivers were more than ready for something else.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suck-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suck-ups. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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