as in fussing
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
a satirical novel about an amoral go-getter who toadies his way to the top of the corporate ladder
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in grovelling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in fawning
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toadying
Adjective
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The Texas State Legislature was even more obsequious, approving a $15 million incentive package in 2013.—
Guthrie Scrimgeour,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2025 -
Softening the strongman The film starts with the loyal and somewhat obsequious journalist Pavel Zarubin interviewing Putin at the end of his long working day in the Kremlin, at 1:30 a.m.—
Peter Rutland,
The Conversation,
9 May 2025
Noun
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For soft-skill matters such as advice, sycophancy in AI chatbots can be especially dangerous, Cheng said, because there's no certainty about whether its guidance is sensible.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Marco Rubio’s and Pete Hegseth’s brainless sycophancy.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
Several months ago, the company had to roll back a change that made the bot into a sycophantic mess that would suck up to the user at every opportunity.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
8 Aug. 2025
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In one recent case revealing the perils of a sycophantic bot, a man who was having manic episodes said ChatGPT's affirmations had prevented him from seeking help.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There are plenty of vacant houses of worship around the country, but there’s also a lot to consider before taking the leap (of faith).—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The Greenwood vandalism marks the third time a Hindu place of worship has been vandalized so far in the US in 2025, according to the Coalition of Hindus of North America.—
Ryan Murphy,
IndyStar,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The siblings' love and adoration of their dad is plain to see, as is the positive impact the Ring doorbell had on them.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
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Each has done so to growing public interest and all that comes with it: adoration, criticism and faces on Panini stickers.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2025
-
Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
Majors' painfully awkward gym rat goes down a spectacularly bad path of protein shakes, steroids, rage issues, misplaced idolatry and macho posedowns in an effort to craft the perfect physique.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 July 2025
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Treating it as such is an insidious form of idolatry.—
Walt Shelton,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Instead, Trump made sure that incentives for these renewable technologies were wound down in the ultra-MAGA budget bill that the subservient Congress recently sent to him and is hell-bent on clearing the path for oil and gas and coal to dominate.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
31 July 2025
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Remember Hurricane Andrew? Ira Gross, Boca Raton What absolute power does A subservient Florida Legislature let DeSantis spend taxpayer money on his political whims, while awarding huge no-bid contracts to his political friends.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Toadying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toadying. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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