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Showing results for sycophantic. Search instead for sycophanti.
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.

He also talked about the sycophantic culture that has taken hold at the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Just as important, I’m using AI to tame my human susceptibility to praise, so that when I do get a sycophantic response to my prompts, I take it with a hearty grain of salt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

Other GSA officials under him had also raised safety concerns about Grok, which they viewed as sycophantic and too susceptible to manipulation or corruption by faulty or biased data—creating a potential system risk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

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

A constant stream of diners comes to their table to shake Werner’s and Frederick’s hands and ask Frederick’s mother in low sycophantic voices about her husband’s latest advancement.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Vocabulary lists containing sycophantic

Grendel

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