toady 1 of 2

toady

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun toady differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of toady are leech, parasite, sponge, and sycophant. While all these words mean "a usually obsequious flatterer or self-seeker," toady emphasizes the servility and snobbery of the self-seeker.

cultivated leaders of society and became their toady

Where would leech be a reasonable alternative to toady?

The meanings of leech and toady largely overlap; however, leech stresses persistence in clinging to or bleeding another for one's own advantage.

a leech living off his family and friends

When could parasite be used to replace toady?

The synonyms parasite and toady are sometimes interchangeable, but parasite applies to one who clings to a person of wealth, power, or influence or is useless to society.

a jet-setter with an entourage of parasites

In what contexts can sponge take the place of toady?

While the synonyms sponge and toady are close in meaning, sponge stresses the parasitic laziness, dependence, and opportunism of the cadger.

a shiftless sponge, always looking for a handout

When is sycophant a more appropriate choice than toady?

The words sycophant and toady are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sycophant adds to this a strong suggestion of fawning, flattery, or adulation.

a powerful prince surrounded by sycophants

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 toady
Noun
But at the end of the Cold War, state sponsors and their toadies lost ground. Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2011 This won’t end well, especially in a no-guardrails administration staffed by a how-high team of enablers and toadies. Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
But without Logan’s presence, Tom’s penchant for toadying and betrayal has nowhere to play off. Get our free weekly newsletter Sign up for CNN Opinion’s newsletter. Gene Seymour, CNN, 12 Apr. 2023 Fox News has long been accused of peddling Trump’s falsehoods and toadying up to the former president. Tori Otten, The New Republic, 27 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for toady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toady
Verb
  • As Harper, from Queensland, Australia, pet Olive and stroked her face gently, her furious golden retriever, named Cub, sat upright and appeared to frown at his owner for fussing anyone other than him.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
  • Video footage of the animals shows the eagle fussing at the coyote and trying to chase it off.
    Amanda Kooser, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • The administration may be populated with sycophants and true believers, but Justice Department attorneys and Homeland Security officials are not stupid.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 May 2025
  • There are still sycophants and acolytes, but no savvy producers to make his head-scratching moves appear to make sense.
    Laura Bassett, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Now he’s put them in the position of appearing ridiculous in order to kowtow yet again to CTU.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
  • Where the refusal of the Ukrainian president to don a suit for the Oval Office becomes a public symbol of his refusal to kowtow.
    Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • Republican lickspittles like Lindsey Graham and Jim Banks praised Trump and trashed Zelenskyy while Russian leaders rejoiced.
    Maureen Dowd, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Of course, being a junior senator and attaching your name to legislation that has little chance of being enacted—none of those have bills passed—is very different from being Vice-President and chief lickspittle to Trump.
    John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
Verb
  • Fans and friends are fawning over the soft, warm-but-not-brassy ginger shade in her comments.
    Marci Robin, Allure, 9 May 2025
  • The 2025 Met Gala red carpet has officially closed, but we’re not done fawning over A-listers’ looks.
    Nicol Natale, People.com, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • Besides being massively ignorant, Musk and his minions are drunk on ideology.
    Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
  • Through their minions in the media, in Big Pharma, and woke teachers manipulating their children's minds, these elites hold an iron grip on society.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • There’s nothing wrong with ogling a juicy rack of ribs or drooling over a hunk of brisket slowly smoking over hot coals.
    Katie Rife, EW.com, 11 May 2025
  • In the painting Meaningless, 2003, for example, the words meaningless, senseless, and irrelevant eventually give way to blather, blabber, babble, then to drivel and drool, and, finally, to blah-blah-blah.
    Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • Before the mole can get much info from her mark, however, top Harrigan henchman Paul (Emmett J. Scanlan) arrives.
    EW.com, EW.com, 11 May 2025
  • In a parked car, erotic dancer Ani (Mikey Madison) straddles Igor (Yura Borisov), the Russian henchman who’s been her undesired shadow for a couple of very long, very stressful days.
    A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Toady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toady. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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