as in toadies
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 sycophants
Eager sycophants run behind him to carry out his directives and repeat his absurdities.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
And yet neither Congress nor the sycophants in the White House seem willing to stop him.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Laws mean nothing to Trump or his administration of sycophants.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
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
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
And yet neither Congress nor the sycophants in the White House seem willing to stop him.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Laws mean nothing to Trump or his administration of sycophants.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sycophants
Noun
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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
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And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 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
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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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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
-
Tennis fans continue to fill the stands prior to the start of the singles finals of the Dallas Open men's tennis tournament was held at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on February 15, 2026.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Through this project, Jamie shows that the core ideas behind modern machines—cars, fans, and even industrial robots—can be understood with simple components and a bit of patience.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ben, flanked by his henchmen, was seen as formidable and dangerous.—
Thomas Morgan,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
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Also newly attached to Write to Kill are Simon Newton and Mike Wood, who will play henchmen.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Also required is proof of a negative fecal test for internal parasites.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
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The drug, largely used to treat people or animals for infections caused by parasites, is a popular dewormer for horses.—
Rachana Pradhan,
STAT,
10 Feb. 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
Cite this Entry
“Sycophants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sycophants. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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