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Definitions

sycophantic

ADJECTIVE
complimentary
Synonyms
STRONGEST
appreciative congratulatory polite respectful
WEAK
adulatory approbative approbatory approving celebrating commendatory courtly encomiastic encomiastical eulogistic fair-spoken fawning highly favorable honeyed honoring laudatory panegyrical plauditory praiseful unctuous well-wishing with high praise with highest recommendation
Antonyms
STRONGEST
unmannerly
WEAK
blaming censuring critical denouncing disparaging for sale insulting reproachful unflattering
ADJECTIVE
fawning
Synonyms
STRONGEST
flattering
STRONG
bootlicking bowing cowering crawling cringing humble ingratiating kowtowing prostrate scraping sniveling
WEAK
abject adulatory brown-nosing compliant mealy-mouthed obsequious parasitic servile slavish spineless submissive subservient sycophant
Antonyms
WEAK
aloof cool disinterested proud unfriendly
ADJECTIVE
fulsome
Synonyms
WEAK
adulatory bombastic buttery canting cloying coarse extravagant fawning flattering glib grandiloquent hypocritical immoderate ingratiating inordinate insincere magniloquent mealy-mouthed nauseating offensive oily oleaginous overdone saccharine sanctimonious slick slimy smarmy smooth suave unctuous wheedling
Antonyms
WEAK
reasonable sincere
ADJECTIVE
ingratiating
Synonyms
STRONGEST
charming disarming smarmy
STRONG
crawling flattering humble insinuating serving toadying
WEAK
deferential obsequious saccharine silken soft unctuous
Antonyms
WEAK
deterring disgusting repellent
ADJECTIVE
ingratiatory
Synonyms
WEAK
charming crawling deferential disarming flattering humble ingratiating obsequious saccharine serving silken smarmy soft sugary toadying unctuous
ADJECTIVE
insinuating
Synonyms
STRONG
charming crawling disarming flattering humble ingratiating serving toadying
WEAK
deferential ingratiatory obsequious saccharine silken smarmy soft sugary unctuous
Antonyms
STRONG
disgusting repellent
ADJECTIVE
insinuative
Synonyms
WEAK
charming crawling deferential disarming flattering humble insinuatory obsequious saccharine serving silken smarmy soft suggestive toadying unctuous
ADJECTIVE
insinuatory
Synonyms
WEAK
charming crawling deferential disarming flattering humble insinuative obsequious saccharine serving silken smarmy soft suggestive toadying unctuous
ADJECTIVE
menial
Synonyms
STRONG
base boring common humdrum low mean routine
WEAK
abject baseborn degrading demeaning dull fawning grovelling humble ignoble ignominious obeisant obsequious servile slavish sorry subservient unskilled vile
Antonyms
STRONG
exciting high honest moral noble unusual
WEAK
elevated skilled superior talented
ADJECTIVE
obsequious
Synonyms
WEAK
abject beggarly brown-nosing complacent compliable compliant cringing crouching deferential enslaved fawning flattering ingratiating kowtowing menial obeisant oily parasitic parasitical prostrate respectful servile slavish sneaking sniveling spineless stipendiary subject submissive subordinate subservient toadying unctuous
Antonyms
WEAK
arrogant assertive brazen confident presumptuous
ADJECTIVE
servile
Synonyms
WEAK
abject base beggarly bootlicking craven cringing despicable eating crow eating humble pie fawning humble ignoble low mean obedient obeisant obsequious passive slavish submissive toadying unctuous unresisting
Antonyms
WEAK
aggressive dominant
ADJECTIVE
subservient
Synonyms
STRONGEST
deferential submissive
STRONG
compliant
WEAK
a slave to abject acquiescent at one's beck and call at one's mercy bootlicking cowering cringing docile fawning ignoble in one's clutches in one's pocket in one's power mean menial obeisant obsequious resigned servile slavish subject under one's thumb
Antonyms
STRONGEST
disobedient
WEAK
controlling domineering unhelpful unnecessary useless

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.

In the months that Rae was getting to know Barry, OpenAI was facing criticism for having created a model that was too sycophantic.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

But it has also been criticized for being overly sycophantic toward users, and doctors have linked it with cases of chatbot users developing psychotic delusions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

The Gottman Institute, a relationship research organization, also lists respectful communication and conflict management abilities among the attributes needed for relationship longevity, two skills that LLMs struggle to mimic given their sycophantic tendencies.

From Slate • Jan. 7, 2026

Numerous users have reported that the chatbot is overly sycophantic, leading some to spiral into manic and psychotic episodes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

Did these people know that such sycophantic behavior would make a scythe want to glean them even more?

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Vocabulary lists containing sycophantic

Grendel

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Scythe

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"Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!