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
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
Continue reading … ‘HUGE PROBLEM’ – Psaki slams White House for allowing 'sycophants' questions during press briefings.
—FOXNews.com, 21 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
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Laws mean nothing to Trump or his administration of sycophants.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … ‘HUGE PROBLEM’ – Psaki slams White House for allowing 'sycophants' questions during press briefings.
—FOXNews.com, 21 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sycophants
Noun
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And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
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In the past, Newsom denounced judges who ruled against them as toadies of the firearms industry.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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His latest lesson was giving the finger to a worker at a Michigan auto plant who yelled at him for his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy, thereby giving license to his minions to do the same in any conflict or disagreement.—
Bob Kustra,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
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In truth, Musk and his DOGE minions mined Social Security data possibly for private purposes, while working to undermine confidence in the program.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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John Stamos shared a dramatic new look with fans in an Instagram post on Tuesday, Jan 13.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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As to what exactly will be available for the fans to purchase, LA28 officials wouldn’t say on Tuesday.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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Kyle’s wife, Tracy, suddenly leaves Kingstown for her sister’s home in Ohio this week, urged by Kyle and Mike to get herself and her baby as far away from Merle’s henchmen as possible.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
23 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Sette is considered an expert on human T cells, the immune cells that adapt to recognize and fight infections from viruses, bacteria, parasites and other pathogens.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Bed nets and drugs save lives, but the family of parasites that cause malaria, called Plasmodium, keeps evolving new ways to survive.—
Kwesi Akonu Adom Mensah Forson,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For instance, Bolsonaro’s flunkies penetrated the government agency that handled film distribution.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
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The conservative dynamic duo representing the minority on the council against Wu and her progressive flunkies have repeatedly seen their proposals and bills rejected or just ignored by Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, a Wu ally.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sycophants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sycophants. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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