as in flunkey
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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of toady
Kara Swisher, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2025
But at the end of the Cold War, state sponsors and their toadies lost ground.
—Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2011
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
As of this writing, tens of thousands of Americans in government roles have already been fired by Elon’s tech toadies.
—Kara Swisher, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2025
But at the end of the Cold War, state sponsors and their toadies lost ground.
—Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2011
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
Verb
-
Vodka just keeps things boozy without fussing too much with the flavor.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
-
Sleep regressions refer to periods when a baby who previously slept well suddenly begins waking frequently, fussing more, or resisting bedtime.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Hitler surrounded himself with sycophants, had zero tolerance for dissent and demanded unwavering loyalty.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
Nobody advertises for sycophants, but often recruiting and interview processes can favor candidates who are agreeable and whose thinking doesn’t conflict with the status quo.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
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So, Murdoch will probably join the others in kowtowing to the commander-in-chief.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
That was part of a broader DeSantis attack against the House for kowtowing to liberal trial lawyers.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2024
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What happened to the idea that art and culture should be a contemptuous refuge from the mainstream, as opposed to this lickspittle, running dog accommodation to the mainstream?—
Billboard Staff,
Billboard,
3 June 2022
Verb
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There’s a risk in becoming too attached to these fawning A.I.s.—
Paul Bloom,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
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Now, with new music on the horizon and a run of live shows, excitement is revving up for a fresh set of viral moments to fawn over.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Donald Trump is desperate to distract his followers from a scandal of his own making, pulling out all the stops to try to get MAGA minions to talk and think about something else — anything else.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
21 July 2025
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Daigo's minions will be making an appearance in Lego Fortnite Odyssey now that the Spires are activated, so players will have to watch out for that while working on their villages.—
Oliver Brandt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Verb
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His jaw wobbled unsteadily and a thin thread of spit drooled from the side of his mouth onto the counter.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
16 July 2025
-
Early signs include excessive panting, drooling, lethargy and weakness.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
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The showdown of General Zod and his henchmen also takes place at the Fortress, with a great twist to defeat them.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
11 July 2025
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The mosasaur has henchman spinosaurs – a nice touch – while a titanosaurus couple shares a loving moment (which gets interrupted by some pesky humans).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toady. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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