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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Trump’s worried sycophants probably know that the details of an eventual agreement likely do not matter very much at this point.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
25 May 2026
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Who wants to stand with him, other than the sycophants in his Cabinet and party?—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
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
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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
Noun
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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
Noun
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The castle is the heart of Eternia and houses a great power — one that must be protected from Skeletor and his minions.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
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The evil force of Skeletor (Jared Leto), a bad bad man with no face, brings his minions in and sets off non-stop destruction.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
2 June 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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The parasites prefer humid areas where temperatures are at least 77 F (25 C), and those days are increasing further north.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
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Many arrived underweight, with skin issues, extensive fur loss (suspected to be from being exposed to the weather and outdoor elements) and significant external and internal parasites.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Nilles, meanwhile, won over fans from her first cymbal crash and wove through every drumming nuance created by Peart.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
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By the time the series moved to Chicago, the enmity between the New York and Chicago teams—and between the Yankees’ and the Cubs’ fans—was focused on Ruth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suck-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suck-ups. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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