as in licking
to strike repeatedly
vowed to curry the hide of the person who stole his wallet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of currying
The event was a surreal mashup of soccer and favor-currying.
—
Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Soon, companies learn that success depends less on innovation or competition than on currying political favor.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Soon, companies learn that success depends less on innovation or competition than on currying political favor.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for currying
Verb
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As finger-licking as the savory food is, the real headliner here is dessert.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
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Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The carnivorous mammal's teeth-baring image suggests a wilderness pushed to the margins and lashing out.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Vance often has served as an attack dog for the administration, including lashing out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office visit.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Both teens are hiding secrets; Johnny, a potentially devastating injury and Shannon, a troubled and violent homelife.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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The discovery of unusually warm molecular hydrogen in these LLAGN is a testament to the unexpected complexity hiding in plain sight.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Before Katherine LaNasa was whipping the ER into shape as Nurse Dana on The Pitt, the actress made a memorable impression on Seinfeld viewers.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
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Legacy of Monsters, complete with a monster tail whipping across half the room.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In saliva samples from 628 adults, researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi found that people living with obesity host a distinct oral microbiome, one that differs not just in species, but in what those microbes are actively doing.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Feb. 2026
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Gage’s Robert is also no slouch in the come-on department, gushing over Jack’s appearance and enticing him by wearing women’s lingerie and doing you don’t want to know what else.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With its newest release, Canadian RV specialist Leisure Travel Vans (LTV) adjusts focus from luxurious leisure to heart-pounding adventure travel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
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But if Robert Icke’s pulse-pounding Broadway production is any indication, Sophocles’ 2,500-year-old Greek tragedy still has the ability to shock.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Skattebo was a fitting backfield mate, his battering-ram style producing 98 yards and three touchdowns in the Week 6 win over the Eagles.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Given how DeSantis and his allies are battering local governments for alleged waste, fraud and abuse, their silence in this case is conspicuous.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Seahawks used a first-round bye to rest, heal and prepare, and then routed the 49ers in a divisional-round game before beating the Rams, 31-27, to advance to the Super Bowl.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Patriots finished 14-3 but defeated only one team with a winning record in the regular season, beating up on the likes of the Jets (twice), Giants, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals en route to an AFC East title.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Currying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/currying. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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