sycophancy

Definition of sycophancynext

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 sycophancy Layering advertising incentives on top of sycophancy produces a system primed to flatter users. William J. Brady, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026 The suit also criticizes ChatGPT’s propensity to agree with users, arguing that the service’s sycophancy can lead users to develop dangerous psychological attachment to the platform and cause users to pay money to unlock more generous usage quotas. Jared Perlo, NBC news, 1 June 2026 That April, OpenAI also rolled back an update to ChatGPT that the company said made the GPT-4o model overly flattering and agreeable, known as sycophancy. Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 28 May 2026 That’s the kind of conflict that has already led to frequent debates over how best to tune models to be agreeable and non-toxic without slipping into outright sycophancy by being relentlessly positive. ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sycophancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sycophancy
Noun
  • Experts say that fawning is a stress response that some teens use to appease the people around them.
    Sherri Gordon, Parents, 5 July 2026
  • The fawning didn’t get him very far.
    Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • And yet, when Szumowska and Englert portray Fyodor’s reaction to the couple’s pregnancy, the birth of their child, and a subsequent tragedy, Anna’s adoration for this utterly flawed man almost feels justified.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So, too, do the antics of his estate manager (a buoyant Sam Adegoke), always concocting money-making schemes, and the wide-eyed adoration of the girl next door (Amelia Mason, deftly balancing naïveté with seductiveness), who wants to save him.
    Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Koeckeritz argued that a paved parking lot is an essential accessory to its main function — worship — not the principal use of the property across the street from the towering cathedral.
    Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One was a Mercy Culture Church and For Liberty and Justice worship gathering calling for Jesus to come to Tarrant County.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The market for racial idolatry in sports media has collapsed.
    Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Assad regime cultivated idolatry and many had been happy to oblige it.
    Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • As was the case with the white-and-green dress for her Pakistan tour, Elizabeth, in her fashion choices, sought not only to avoid giving offense but to offer symbolic ingratiation, and among the most fascinating garments on display are those representing diplomatic dressing.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Each chapter discusses a specific sales element, which includes such topics as goal setting, prospecting, ingratiation and listening tactics, empathy and much more.
    Larry D. Urish, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sycophancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sycophancy. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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