as in fussing
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
the kind of guy who truckles to anyone who might present a lucrative opportunity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truckling
Verb
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Your son is fussing in his car seat.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026 -
Emma looked around, confused at the adults fussing around him and too young, perhaps, to grasp the severity of the scene.—
Maeva Bambuck,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Infantino’s gesture might strike people unacquainted with World Cup history as shamelessly fawning.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
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With the Republican Congress fawning at his feet, the ideal of democracy that the will of the people governs the nation is being buried under multimedia waves of the autocratic ambition of wealth.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The public demand was made based on a social media post from right-wing journalist Laura Loomer, who pointed to a video in which Rice vowed to hold companies accountable for kowtowing to Trump if Democrats regain power in the federal government.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Feb. 2026
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On Tuesday, Colbert claimed CBS management is kowtowing to Carr and showing a lack of corporate courage.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When the schedule dropped, network brass had to be drooling over this matchup.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2026
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Some viewers were convinced the young up-and-comer was drooling on live TV.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Call it the bootlicking trickle-down-effect.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When Paramount – a company in disarray and deep financial distress – started courting potential buyers in 2024, Ellison emerged as the white knight.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
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Zendaya’s Rue is still grappling with the ramifications of her opioid addiction, while Sydney Sweeney’s once sweet Cassie channels her suburban frustrations into courting attention online.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Truckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truckling. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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