sycophancy
noun
sy·co·phan·cy
| \ ˈsi-kə-fən(t)-sē also ˈsī- & -ˌfan(t)-
\
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Definition of sycophancy
: obsequious flattery
also
: the character or behavior of a sycophant
Examples of sycophancy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While some of the news hours have a rightward bent, the anchors generally don't display the pro-Trump sycophancy that's a signature feature of Fox's opinion programs. — Brian Stelter, CNN, "Trump thinks Fox News isn't doing enough to promote his presidency," 28 Aug. 2019 In truth, the press’s current sycophancy rises from a hinterland of intimidation, trimming and currying favour dating back to Mr Modi’s rise to national power in 2014. — The Economist, "When India’s government abuses power, the media cheer," 22 Aug. 2019 Still, sycophancy is an effective path to favor with any President, especially this one. — Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, "“Congratulations Again, Mr. President”: Trump and the Co-opting of the G.O.P.," 12 July 2019 Worse, the president’s need for flattery and his base’s intense defensiveness combine to make public sycophancy the only reliable proof of loyalty. — Jonah Goldberg, National Review, "Revelations in Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury Aren’t News inside the Beltway," 10 Jan. 2018 His characterization has been filtered though Mike Leigh rigor rather than Masterpiece Theatre sycophancy. — Armond White, National Review, "The Greatest Showman," 19 Jan. 2018 Ready Player One takes this geek sycophancy to an entirely new level. — Ryan Smith, Chicago Reader, "Arts / Small Screen / The Internet By villainizing nerdy fanboys, Black Mirror's Star Trek parody goes where no show has gone before," 8 Jan. 2018 Yet the past week has seen an explosion of sycophancy toward China’s leader, after his mammoth three-and-a-half-hour speech kicked off proceedings last Wednesday. — Simon Denyer, Washington Post, "China’s leader elevated to the level of Mao in Communist pantheon," 24 Oct. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sycophancy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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