SUCKING (UP) Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

sucking (up)

verb

Definition of sucking (up)

present participle of suck (up)

as in currying favor

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in soaking (up)

to take in (something liquid) through small openings these lilacs sucked up all the water I added to the vase yesterday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sucking (up)

Verb

Similar to Egypt after its collapse earlier in the week, Switzerland exited fussing about the officiating.

— Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.

— Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 June 2026

Definition of fussing

Verb

Stuff like Caitlin Clark getting mugged with no foul being called, or Sophie Cunningham pointing at some obnoxious player, or ESPN drooling over a coach wearing a pro-trans shirt.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Video released by the Milwaukie Police Department shows Descamps sprawled in a hospital bed, his body limp, moaning and drooling, while medical staff stood nearby.

— Brian Mann, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of drooling

Verb

Beyond its vast holdings of US debt, Japan remains one of the premier foreign buyers in global sovereign bond markets, with government debt from major European economies and Australia historically absorbing substantial Japanese capital inflows.

— , CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
As a result, each shell collapses sequentially, gradually absorbing and dissipating the kinetic energy.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of absorbing

Verb

Pair it with jeans, dresses, midi skirts—pretty much anything, really—for an instantly polished look that adds an extra layer of warmth without taking up precious space in your luggage.

— Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2026
The tattoo has been arduous work for William, with setbacks and botched work taking up much of the past decade.

— Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of taking up

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.

Browse Nearby Words

sucking in

sucking (up)

sucking (up to)

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Style

“Sucking (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sucking%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sucking (up)

verb

Example Sentences

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