BOOTLICKING Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

bootlicking

verb

present participle of bootlick

as in fussing

to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior the kind of office in which people feel they have to bootlick in order to get ahead

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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 bootlicking Its mission was to upset hierarchies, not reinforce them, and few things were more offensive to comedians than bootlicking. — Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 Call it the bootlicking trickle-down-effect. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bootlicking

Verb

Similar to Egypt after its collapse earlier in the week, Switzerland exited fussing about the officiating.

— Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.

— Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 June 2026

Definition of fussing

Verb

Soon, the president of the United States (John Goodman) and his cabinet of fawning nitwits come to Casa Digger — because that’s how powerful Digger is — to plan the response.

— David Mack, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
His stature will prevent draftniks from fawning over him, and even opponents aren’t immune to underestimating him in person.

— Antonio Morales, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of fawning

Verb

There was one of Melissa Gorga’s sprinkle cookies ground into the carpet, and there was Kelsey Swanson, passed out under the piano and drooling on the parquet.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Typical letdown game for a Florida team the national media just spent a week drooling over.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of drooling

Verb

What distinguishes Camper, at least musically, is his deference to classic R&B signifiers without kowtowing to pastiche.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
After all, the series largely avoids other topical issues of modern campus life, from freedom of speech restrictions to administrators kowtowing to autocracies.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026

Definition of kowtowing

Browse Nearby Words

bootlickers

bootlicking

bootlicks

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“Bootlicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bootlicking. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bootlicking

verb

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