butter up

verb

Definition of butter upnext
as in to honey
to praise too much a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 butter up Ben spends the afternoon buttering up Ellie and praising her cake-icing skills, and even gives her the task of decorating the wedding cake. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026 After being buttered up, the AI or the evildoer lures them into the evil intricacies. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025 Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images Anderson, currently a free agent, could be buttering up the Commanders to get a contract offer, but there is some truth to his statement. — Victor Williams, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025 The preview for The Muppet Show reveals special guest Sabrina Carpenter buttering up Miss Piggy backstage. — Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for butter up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butter up
  1. honey
  2. congratulate
  3. stroke
  4. massage
  5. praise
  6. applaud
  7. commend
  8. flatter
Verb
  • The mouthfeel is thick, chewy, and honeyed, with a hint of marzipan.
    — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Her voice, languid and honeyed, can glide over sensual R&B, bouncing reggaetón, shimmering pop or nostalgic jazz.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Definition of honey
Verb
  • Brown said a wild Knicks fan tailed him home to congratulate him on winning the Finals during a bike ride over the offseason.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The veteran coach congratulated his team for the win and quickly pivoted to yelling about mental mistakes that kept Houston County in the game.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of congratulate
Verb
  • The young woman on the left strokes her hair and tells her not to be nervous.
    — Anna Griffin, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Charli even stroked the bathroom hand dryer — a clever reference to everybody’s favorite scene in Desperately Seeking Susan.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stroke
Verb
  • Apply a thin layer of Dijon mustard with your hands, massaging it into the meat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The 2027 Silverado gets a broader, more muscular face, a new grille and redesigned LED lighting, while the bodywork has been massaged to make the truck look even more substantial.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of massage
Verb
  • The one-minute television spot includes Poindexter’s daughters praising their father for his work ethic and dedication to their family.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Smoke’N Ash is also praised for Patrick Hicks’ brisket, pork ribs and rib tips, along with an extensive menu of desserts.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of praise
Verb
  • Mac Haddow of the American Kratom Association has applauded the DEA’s 7-OH ban but has also blamed irresponsible consumers for any deaths caused by natural kratom use.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Bryan’s on-stage statement immediately drew a lot of negative feedback from conservative fans, although there are pockets on the right that have come out against Israel’s actions in Gaza who applauded Bryan.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of applaud
Verb
  • Fine art’s real estate crisis and its wholesale entrenchment in money laundering perhaps commend the political possibilities of unfine modes?
    — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • With very few exceptions, roses were offered to commend male medieval rulers, often ones who had militarily defended Catholicism.
    — Joëlle Rollo-Koster, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of commend
Verb
  • Checking one’s own emotions is also important, because AI chatbots have been known to flatter users by giving answers based on the user’s own biases, or what the user wants to hear, rather than just facts.
    — Allison Faix, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Lu was also flattered by a festival website’s introduction linking the film to Taiwan’s New Wave.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of flatter

Browse Nearby Words

butters up
butter up
buttery
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Cite this Entry

“Butter up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butter%20up. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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