KISS UP TO Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

kiss up to

phrase

Definition of kiss up to

as in curry favor

to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior He was always kissing up to his professors.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for kiss up to

curry favor

Phrase

Moscow and Kyiv are keen to curry favor with Washington ahead of possible three-way talks next month between Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
Leaders may donate stock to curry favor in certain districts.

— Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of curry favor

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

kiss-offs

kiss up to

kit

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Kiss up to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kiss%20up%20to. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of kiss up to

phrase

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

reticent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes