as in obsequious
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Dissimilar Words
as in fawning
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toadying
Adjective
-
The staff is wonderfully friendly and casual, providing seamless service without being obsequious.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026 -
The millennial-Gen Z generational divide, both sides fighting over scraps of a shrinking pie while still in smiling, obsequious service to aging boomers, is an enticing hook made more so by meta casting.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
According to Gaiani, drinking or using drugs before social situations is a major sign that your teen may be using alcohol to cope with fawning and to feel more comfortable or confident.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Ever the dedicated mother, Stacy runs to her adult daughter’s aid, fussing at her for not using a driver for her errands.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Your son is fussing in his car seat.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Similar dynamics have made AI systems dangerously sycophantic.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
6 May 2026
-
After all, humans often communicate with each other in sycophantic ways.—
Cody Turner,
The Conversation,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s the kind of conflict that has already led to frequent debates over how best to tune models to be agreeable and non-toxic without slipping into outright sycophancy by being relentlessly positive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
-
One idea is to require AI companies to run and then publish sycophancy audits of their models – tests that show how well their products meet honesty benchmarks.—
Cody Turner,
The Conversation,
1 May 2026
Verb
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What distinguishes Camper, at least musically, is his deference to classic R&B signifiers without kowtowing to pastiche.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
After all, the series largely avoids other topical issues of modern campus life, from freedom of speech restrictions to administrators kowtowing to autocracies.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That this man’s-man tough guy becomes utterly servile in the presence of a bunch of slack-casual bazillionaires is the cherry on top of the fascist sundae.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Julia was the first weekly TV series that starred a Black woman in a role that wasn't servile.—
Starr Rocque,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Los Angeles Police Department’s Major Crimes Division, which investigates hate crimes and attacks on houses of worship, is reviewing the incident, according to a department spokesperson.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
The event is the second of three worship nights Bethel will do in 2026.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Toadying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toadying. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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