sycophancy

noun

Definition of sycophancynext
as in fawning

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sycophancy That’s the kind of conflict that has already led to frequent debates over how best to tune models to be agreeable and non-toxic without slipping into outright sycophancy by being relentlessly positive. — ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026 Some would argue that if AI sycophancy is spurring people to use AI for mental health advice, this is an undesirable outcome and yet another dour sign of AI sycophancy. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026 The suit also criticizes ChatGPT’s propensity to agree with users, arguing that the service’s sycophancy can lead users to develop dangerous psychological attachment to the platform and cause users to pay money to unlock more generous usage quotas. — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 1 June 2026 That April, OpenAI also rolled back an update to ChatGPT that the company said made the GPT-4o model overly flattering and agreeable, known as sycophancy. — Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sycophancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sycophancy
  1. fawning
  2. adoration
  3. worship
  4. idolatry
  5. ingratiation
Noun
  • The fawning didn’t get him very far.
    — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
  • According to Gaiani, drinking or using drugs before social situations is a major sign that your teen may be using alcohol to cope with fawning and to feel more comfortable or confident.
    — Sarah Scott, Parents, 25 Aug. 2025
Definition of fawning
Noun
  • Marylanders showed their adoration by naming Montgomery County for him.
    — Sarah M.S. Pearsall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, since the Scaloni era’s unprecedented winning streak, Argentineans’ adoration of Messi has, at last, become unconditional.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
Definition of adoration
Noun
  • Historically, the Catholic Church had denied religious funerals inside its houses of worship as well as traditional burials for those who died in this way.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Nearby are the Druidical worship sites of Avebury and Stonehenge; there is a Celtic burial ground hidden in one of Ashcombe's deep, romantic coombes.
    — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026
Definition of worship
Noun
  • But this facial gallery closed with the Western Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity, which inherited a suspicion of idolatry from the Old Testament and Judaism.
    — Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • The usual claims of occult idolatry, the sensitivity of children’s virgin eyes, and the fear of nurturing serial killers were at the heart of the debates, which had some comparing Schwartz to Jeffrey Dahmer and were only further accelerated by the intense graphics of illustrator Stephen Gammell.
    — SPIN Team, SPIN, 22 June 2026
Definition of idolatry
Noun
  • As was the case with the white-and-green dress for her Pakistan tour, Elizabeth, in her fashion choices, sought not only to avoid giving offense but to offer symbolic ingratiation, and among the most fascinating garments on display are those representing diplomatic dressing.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Each chapter discusses a specific sales element, which includes such topics as goal setting, prospecting, ingratiation and listening tactics, empathy and much more.
    — Larry D. Urish, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
Definition of ingratiation

Browse Nearby Words

sybaritism
sycophancy
sycophant
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Cite this Entry

“Sycophancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sycophancy. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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