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.
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Verbal · Text Completion
The novelist's late style is admired precisely for its blank: every superfluous phrase has been pared away, leaving prose of startling economy.
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”
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