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 Some of the changes were designed to minimize sycophancy, based on concerns that validating whatever vulnerable people want the chatbot to say can harm their mental health. Dave Collins, Fortune, 11 Dec. 2025 Second is sycophancy, where AI chatbots tend to reinforce users’ existing biases rather than challenge them, creating echo chambers that amplify certainty in one’s beliefs. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025 Rival OpenAI has also faced problems with ChatGPT displaying sycophancy. PC Magazine, 20 Nov. 2025 But critics and former employees who spoke with CNN say the AI company has long known of the dangers of the tool’s tendency toward sycophancy – repeatedly reinforcing and encouraging any kind of input – particularly for users who are distressed or mentally ill. Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sycophancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sycophancy
Noun
  • According to Gaiani, drinking or using drugs before social situations is a major sign that your teen may be using alcohol to cope with fawning and to feel more comfortable or confident.
    Sarah Scott, Parents, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Taylor arrives as a legitimate Oscar threat with the kind of adoration and critics reviews that make voters take notice.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Over the course of the show, the pair develop a dysfunctional, surprisingly critical father-son dynamic, despite Gene's compulsive desire for adoration and Barry's, well, need to kill.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Near Milan’s Navigli district, it has been officially recognized as a place of worship by the city since 2000.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
  • From attending rallies and protests to offering safe spaces for people to gather, worship and counsel one another, faith leaders have often found themselves on the front lines.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • As a cipher, the Discobolus can either represent Pollak’s humanistic ethos of a cosmopolitan society or the idolatries of Hitler’s blood-and-soil fascism.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
  • But the Turkish big man is also representative of a more meaningful trend, which was on display again this week, even before the Nuggets visited Houston — a recent proliferation of Jokic idolatry throughout the sport.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • 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 28 Feb. 2026.

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