sycophant

“A sycophant with no combat experience has to tell Xi what Xi wants to hear,” wrote Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official who met Zhang when he visited the U.S. in 2012.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026

Peeking over her shoulder at her notes, he tuts, “Doesn’t sycophant have an ‘o’?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2025

Then, referring to the man who has replaced him as premier, he adds "not like Li Qiang", who he describes as a sycophant.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2023

What made the jokes about Richter so gently absurd is that no one has more persuasively countered the popular image of the sidekick as a pathetic sycophant.

From New York Times ● Jun. 23, 2021

Apparently, the man had gone from servant to sycophant.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Instead, reporters sat in their black-tie attire and behaved like sycophants.

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026

The new boss will want to make a mark—almost any mark will do—to intimidate top performers and encourage sycophants.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

The consequences of replacing judicious and seasoned advisers with sycophants should have been a surprise to no one.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

Presley and Parker grew distant, as Presley insulated himself with sycophants and his behavior both on and offstage grew increasingly erratic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2025

Shusgis talked and talked to me and to the many employees, aides, and sycophants who sat down at his table nightly; I had never known him so longwinded, so relentlessly jovial.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin