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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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
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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
-
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
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Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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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Yasmin, Tender’s briefly installed head of communications, is the first of Whitney’s flunkies to defect.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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For instance, Bolsonaro’s flunkies penetrated the government agency that handled film distribution.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Satoskar says the inaccurate information that influencers are sharing about parasites might encourage people, including those with delusional parasitosis, to make risky health decisions.—
Sarah Boden,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
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They have been microchipped, vaccinated and treated for fleas and parasites.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Minnesota killing off a late-period penalty was about the only highlight for Wild fans, who went to the second intermission a bit stunned at the deficit facing their team.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
16 Mar. 2026
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Zendaya first sparked wedding rumors last month when she was spotted with a gold band in place of her usual rock, though fans were unsure if the actor had simply turned her ring towards her palm or switched to a simpler ring to keep the real one safe.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suck-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suck-ups. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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