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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Recent Examples of sycophants
Trump’s worried sycophants probably know that the details of an eventual agreement likely do not matter very much at this point.
—
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
Who wants to stand with him, other than the sycophants in his Cabinet and party?
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Republicans in Congress have become spineless sycophants to a president who only sees the beauty of this country in dollar signs.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Will any other sycophants in his cult get the message?
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 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
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
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
Who wants to stand with him, other than the sycophants in his Cabinet and party?
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Republicans in Congress have become spineless sycophants to a president who only sees the beauty of this country in dollar signs.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Will any other sycophants in his cult get the message?
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 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
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
-
Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The evil force of Skeletor (Jared Leto), a bad bad man with no face, brings his minions in and sets off non-stop destruction.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
-
Aniello, who directed both bookend episodes, replicates her own long, dynamic shot from the series premiere, which tracks Deborah from the closing joke of her zillionth Vegas set, through a backstage warren of minions and admirers, to her dressing room.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 May 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
-
Rarely has a president been surrounded by such an array of toadies and lickspittles, operating beyond their competence in an atmosphere of organizational chaos.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
Nilles, meanwhile, won over fans from her first cymbal crash and wove through every drumming nuance created by Peart.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
By the time the series moved to Chicago, the enmity between the New York and Chicago teams—and between the Yankees’ and the Cubs’ fans—was focused on Ruth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Launched in early 1982, the original MOTU line-up saw He-Man and Skeletor joined by heroes Teela (at this point, the only female character), Man-at-Arms and Stratos; the morally ambiguous Zodac; and a couple of Skeletor's henchmen, Beast Man and Mer-Man.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
-
The remoteness of their surroundings is no accident; one of these characters is fleeing an inconvenient past, which returns with a vengeance in the form of a beefy sadist (Benoît Magimel) and his two hostage-taking henchmen.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
The parasites prefer humid areas where temperatures are at least 77 F (25 C), and those days are increasing further north.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
-
Many arrived underweight, with skin issues, extensive fur loss (suspected to be from being exposed to the weather and outdoor elements) and significant external and internal parasites.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
9 June 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 13 Jun. 2026.
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