as in grovelling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fawning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fussing
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toadying
Adjective
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At 11:30, as the simultaneously pompous and obsequious gate agent announces the passengers above gold status, the bit, already tilting toward insanity, leaves any attempt to portray a real airport behind and dives fully into Alice in Wonderland–level surrealism.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
8 May 2025 -
And the obsequious fealty shown to him by the Republican Party reinforces why a president running amok should never have this much power again.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This effect is exacerbated by sycophancy and can spark groupthink, ignoring dissent or mistaking silence for support.—
Nuala Walsh,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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Russian dissidents – most now either in jail or abroad – see Putin as a dictator who has built a brittle system of personal rule reliant on sycophancy and corruption that is leading Russia towards decline and turmoil.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
4 May 2025
Adjective
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Schwartzman’s character, Souper—the poorest of the group, whose nickname is short for soup kitchen—gives off an insecure, sycophantic vibe that reminds me of an acolyte from Musk’s text messages.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
30 May 2025
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One of Willison's most interesting findings about Claude 4 relates to how Anthropic has guided both Claude models to avoid sycophantic behavior.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 May 2025
Noun
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The first services were held at the new house of worship — with an auditorium that could seat more than 2,000 people — on Oct. 25, 1970.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
31 May 2025
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Beyond that, the Trump administration has rescinded guidance that told agents to avoid making arrests at places of worship and has taken people into custody for showing up to immigration appointments.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2025
Noun
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The stakes are also higher in the third act because of a life-risking incident and Nani’s career aspirations, while the new movie downplays Stitch’s adoration for Elvis Presley, though his songs are present.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
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Set three years after the events of Season 4, Joe and his wife Kate (Charlotte Richie) are living in New York, where Kate’s role as a powerful CEO has brought them a lot of public attention and adoration.—
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.,
Refinery29,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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So Alex dons a uniform, buses tables and engages in servile labor for the first time in her life.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
23 Mar. 2025
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Trump’s servile devotion to Putin becomes the new norm overnight as Republicans cower in support of Trump’s new Putin policy.—
Bob Kustra,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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His assessment is based not on the slack-jawed idolatry of elite-media toadies, but on sources nobody else thought to ring up and poke.—
Harpers Magazine,
Harpers Magazine,
26 Mar. 2025
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Unlike most contemporary acts subject to mass idolatry, Wolf Alice’s online presence (which, historically, has been minimal) has never been part of the appeal.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Melling conveys the paradoxical elevation of Colin’s low self-esteem through the subservient relationship with an appealing pluckiness.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2025
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Unlike the two main parties in the United States, Fidesz holds no primaries, and it has been systematically deprived of internal diversity because all of its senior ranks are subservient to Orban.—
BÁLINT MADLOVICS,
Foreign Affairs,
10 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Toadying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toadying. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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