as in brownnosers
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
a transparent apple-polisher whose fulsome praise fooled no one
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apple-polishers
Noun
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Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026 -
Ackie mostly barks orders at her minions to go get him, while Nighy in his home plays the bad guy demanding blood.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many of the other dogs showed signs consistent with long-term outdoor neglect, including parasites, dental issues, and untreated medical conditions such as Giardia, fleas, and ticks.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
-
People can get parasites in ways including spending time in areas with them, from contaminated food or water, or from bug bites.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Conrad wasn’t sure how football fans would react but said most people eagerly accepted a towel.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
By the end of that format’s 12-year run, including several instances in which the best overall driver of the year was shut out from the title or even competing in the championship race, a majority of fans and drivers were more than ready for something else.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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And his toadies that go along with him are -- are subscribing to that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Ben, flanked by his henchmen, was seen as formidable and dangerous.—
Thomas Morgan,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
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Also newly attached to Write to Kill are Simon Newton and Mike Wood, who will play henchmen.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
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And yet neither Congress nor the sycophants in the White House seem willing to stop him.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
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Laws mean nothing to Trump or his administration of sycophants.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
-
Dirty sponges, towels, and dishes are the most common gross kitchen items.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Consider other products that complement the shower steamer experience, like shower gels, lotions and loofah sponges, in your gift set too.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Apple-polishers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apple-polishers. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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