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
Relevance
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 sycophants
To start the new Mideast war, Donnie acted on his own with no resistance from his sycophants, who have no backbones.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
The Republican sycophants currently in office, out of fear, won’t stand up to him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
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
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
The Republican sycophants currently in office, out of fear, won’t stand up to him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sycophants
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
-
Noem’s minions would defy and frustrate federal judges seeking basic information from DHS about the department’s compliance with court orders.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
In this week’s reader mailbag, Charlotte Observer reporter Alex Zietlow answers questions on the minds of Panthers fans.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In fact, many who come are fans of Frank Lloyd Wright.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers argued that career anxiety under autocracy creates both pro-regime henchmen and anti-regime plotters.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The global Jewish community is now an active front in the warfare of the Middle East — the war against the Iranian regime, and the war against its henchmen, the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah.—
Joshua M. Davidson,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Satoskar says the inaccurate information that influencers are sharing about parasites might encourage people, including those with delusional parasitosis, to make risky health decisions.—
Sarah Boden,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
-
They have been microchipped, vaccinated and treated for fleas and parasites.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yasmin, Tender’s briefly installed head of communications, is the first of Whitney’s flunkies to defect.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
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 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
