as in bootlicker
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
be careful not to mistake sycophants for true friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sycophant
Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
But there’s enough, like Garfield’s insistence on trying to end the practice of basically selling government positions to the highest bidder, or to the biggest sycophant.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 12 Nov. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
This willingness of the AI to heap praise and act as a sycophant has worrying consequences for the populace as a whole.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sycophant
Noun
Laws mean nothing to Trump or his administration of sycophants.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
But there’s enough, like Garfield’s insistence on trying to end the practice of basically selling government positions to the highest bidder, or to the biggest sycophant.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 12 Nov. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
This willingness of the AI to heap praise and act as a sycophant has worrying consequences for the populace as a whole.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sycophant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sycophant
Noun
-
If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
GPT-4o was beloved by many users for sounding incredibly emotional and human — but also criticized, including by OpenAI, for being too sycophantic.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
-
In one experiment, a particularly sycophantic model was asked to consult a checklist on the user’s computer, complete all outstanding items, and report back.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2024
Noun
-
Or a suck-up move to the Trump administration and its ridiculous claims against the media?—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Like many digital beings, Reps, as Replika’s avatars are known, are engineered to be agreeable, nonjudgmental, and zealously supportive—i.e., suck-ups.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ackie mostly barks orders at her minions to go get him, while Nighy in his home plays the bad guy demanding blood.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On a holiday celebrating love and affection, thousands of enthusiastic basketball fans showed up at Intuit Dome to cheer for their favorite NBA players in a trifecta of skills competitions on the eve of the league’s 75th annual All-Star Game.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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Her primarily millennial fans are rabid to see her in concert.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ben, flanked by his henchmen, was seen as formidable and dangerous.—
Thomas Morgan,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
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Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper’s Beadle Bamford, the judge’s henchman, has a malicious ebullience all his own.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sycophant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sycophant. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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