sycophant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“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