sycophant
a person who flatters others to gain advantage
Word origin: From Greek sykophantes, informer.
Sycophant in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing sycophant in a sentence.
The king was surrounded by sycophants who told him only what he wished to hear.
The new director surrounded himself with sycophants who praised every memo and never questioned a decision.
Using “sycophant” well
Sycophant is strongly negative, naming someone who flatters the powerful to gain advantage, unlike a sincere admirer. Its opposite is a genuine critic or detractor.
More GRE words starting with S
to deliberately damage or obstruct something, especially in secret
an intensely sweet, calorie-free artificial sweetener
excessively sweet or sentimental in a cloying way
regarded as too important or sacred to be altered or criticized
having keen practical judgment and discernment
soundness of judgment and acuteness of discernment
most noticeable or important; standing out prominently
of a sickly yellowish or pale complexion
Questions about “sycophant”
Learn words the way the GRE tests them.
Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.