as in sycophant
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
no one liked the office toady, who spent most of her time complimenting the boss on what a great job he was doing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to fuss
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of toady
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Bad guys: Oil magnate and his lawyers, corrupt president and his toadies
Bottom line: The most successful of the non-courtroom Grishams, The Pelican Brief doesn't just bring together two very charismatic leads at the height of their powers.
—Linda Holmes, NPR, 15 Aug. 2025
Gene Seymour, CNN, 12 Apr. 2023
Fox News has long been accused of peddling Trump’s falsehoods and toadying up to the former president.
—Tori Otten, The New Republic, 27 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for toady
Noun
The musician also expressed incredulity that what prompted one of Trump’s toadies to publicly respond to him was a comment White made about — of all things — the president’s outlandish Oval Office decor.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Bad guys: Oil magnate and his lawyers, corrupt president and his toadies
Bottom line: The most successful of the non-courtroom Grishams, The Pelican Brief doesn't just bring together two very charismatic leads at the height of their powers.
—Linda Holmes, NPR, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
But without Logan’s presence, Tom’s penchant for toadying and betrayal has nowhere to play off. Get our free weekly newsletter Sign up for CNN Opinion’s newsletter.
—Gene Seymour, CNN, 12 Apr. 2023
Fox News has long been accused of peddling Trump’s falsehoods and toadying up to the former president.
—Tori Otten, The New Republic, 27 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for toady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toady
Noun
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No Melania was all the more noticeable by the fact that almost every SNL cast member was given a chance to play one of the many administration sycophants or allies — plus there was a cameo by Loki the God of Mischief as Trump’s agent (sorry Ari Emanuel).—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2026
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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
Verb
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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
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Need to put a filling dinner on the table, but don't have a lot of time to fuss?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 Dec. 2025
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
-
Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2024
Verb
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The bigger question is whether Ratner’s proximity to power will compel an industry already willing to kowtow to the president to officially welcome Ratner back.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
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But Thibodeau was never interested in being Tony La Russa and kowtowing to Reinsdorf or the management team of Gar Forman and John Paxson.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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
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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
Verb
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Call it the bootlicking trickle-down-effect.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Those who delay this fate the longest are bootlicking mediocrities — the survival of the sycophants.—
Michael Gerson,
Anchorage Daily News,
18 Mar. 2018
Verb
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Wu, who has been fawned over by liberal media, would come to the ticket with no such baggage.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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Beyoncé's Botticelli-esque waves are defined with ribbons of golden highlights that had audiences fawning.—
Audrey Noble,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toady. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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