sycophancy Definition
excessive flattery or praise, often for personal gain.
Using sycophancy: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "sycophancy" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The politician was accused of sycophancy towards the wealthy donors.
Example
Her sycophancy towards the boss earned her a promotion.
Example
He was tired of the sycophancy and wanted honest feedback.
sycophancy Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for sycophancy
Antonyms for sycophancy
Idioms Using sycophancy
brown-nosing
informal term for sycophantic behavior, often used in a derogatory way
Example
He was accused of brown-nosing the boss in order to get a promotion.
apple-polishing
informal term for sycophantic behavior, often used in a derogatory way
Example
Her apple-polishing towards the teacher was obvious and annoying.
the practice of excessively flattering or praising someone in order to gain personal advantage
Example
The company's culture of toadyism made it difficult for employees to speak up about problems.
Phrases with sycophancy
a social environment where flattery and praise are expected and rewarded, often at the expense of honesty and integrity
Example
The company's culture of sycophancy made it difficult for employees to speak up about problems.
the act of excessively flattering or praising someone for personal gain
Example
His sycophantic behavior towards the CEO was transparent and unprofessional.
sycophantic remarks
insincere or excessive compliments or praise given to someone in order to gain favor or advantage
Example
She made sycophantic remarks about the professor's work in order to get a better grade.
Origins of sycophancy
from Greek 'sykophantes', meaning 'one who shows the fig', referring to a person who falsely accused another of a crime
Summary: sycophancy in Brief
The term 'sycophancy' [ˈsɪkəfənsi] refers to excessive flattery or praise, often for personal gain. It is commonly used in contexts where people are trying to gain favor or advantage, such as in the workplace or politics. Phrases like 'culture of sycophancy' and 'sycophantic behavior' describe environments where flattery is expected and rewarded, while idioms like 'brown-nosing' and 'apple-polishing' are informal terms for sycophantic behavior.
