as in to honey
to praise too much
a flunky who shamelessly butters up the boss
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Recent Examples of butter up
Warming the milk and butter up first helps to avoid any milk fat white spots on top of your decadent chocolate cake.
—
Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2024
Griffin isn’t the only big-name boss to try and butter up workers by putting on an unforgettable party.
—Byorianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2023
Ripple’s ongoing efforts to butter up the banking and corporate world have made the company, and by extension XRP, an object of hostility and derision among the rest of the crypto world.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 24 Mar. 2023
Next, coat the bottom of a casserole dish with butter, place the potatoes in, and pat more butter up on top.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 23 Nov. 2021
At the center: six cinnamon rolls that a candidate alleged had been used to butter up voters during the tight mayoral race in October.
—María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2023
Steele storms out, but Sarah stays behind to butter up the AG.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 21 Nov. 2022
But why was butter up 6% in March, while milk rose only 1.3%?
—Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN, 13 Apr. 2022
The producers even included a vegan baker in the mix, a woman who put her cakes without eggs or butter up against those ofher peers without missinga beat.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2021
Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2024
Griffin isn’t the only big-name boss to try and butter up workers by putting on an unforgettable party.
—Byorianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2023
Ripple’s ongoing efforts to butter up the banking and corporate world have made the company, and by extension XRP, an object of hostility and derision among the rest of the crypto world.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 24 Mar. 2023
Next, coat the bottom of a casserole dish with butter, place the potatoes in, and pat more butter up on top.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 23 Nov. 2021
At the center: six cinnamon rolls that a candidate alleged had been used to butter up voters during the tight mayoral race in October.
—María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2023
Steele storms out, but Sarah stays behind to butter up the AG.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 21 Nov. 2022
But why was butter up 6% in March, while milk rose only 1.3%?
—Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN, 13 Apr. 2022
The producers even included a vegan baker in the mix, a woman who put her cakes without eggs or butter up against those ofher peers without missinga beat.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butter up
Verb
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Those harmonies — simultaneously honeyed and gravelly, providing just enough support without overshadowing, yet so powerful and full of potential — echoes Whitten.Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2024
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Enjoy flavored nuts, such as those that are candied, glazed, or honied, in moderation.Selene Yeager, Health, 24 Feb. 2024
Verb
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Vance shook the hands of Republicans congratulating him, with some members stopping him for photos.Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2025
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One notable reaction however was from Strong’s Armageddon Time co-star Hathaway who took to Instagram to joke about Strong’s look while congratulating him on his nomination.Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The father pointed to the sky, stroked his head, and seemed to explain something to him.Michael Sheldrick, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
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However, the way Percy is stroking John’s face and talking about his beautiful eyes says that there are some lingering feelings there.Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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From there, unlike in Sacramento, the Heat massaged the lead to the finish.Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2025
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Her process begins with massaging the face using tools like microcurrents, rollers and gua sha to rejuvenate the skin.Ryma Chikhoune, WWD, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In a call on New Year's Day, Trump praised Roy's work in the House but encouraged him to support Johnson, who was also on the call along with Vice President-elect JD Vance.Lauren Peller, ABC News, 3 Jan. 2025
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History textbooks have been rewritten to include more Hindu-nationalist figures, praise Modi’s own initiatives, and minimize contributions by Indian Muslims.Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Kotb and her colleagues applauded when the song finished, with Kotb thanking Kermit at its conclusion.Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 10 Jan. 2025
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Others applauded Kris and James Armstrong’s selflessness in light of such sudden challenges.Susan Young, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Some fans never forgive him, while others commend his maturity and his foresight.Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024
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Many social media comments, meanwhile, commended Baldoni's promotional message for viewers to always have hope.Emma Bowman, NPR, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Hoult was seemingly flattered by the choice, considering that Tesla has also been played in movies by David Bowie (The Prestige) and Ethan Hawke (Tesla).Christian Holub, EW.com, 30 Dec. 2024
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The flood of late-night epitaphs respectfully flatters his image as a humble servant but doesn't explain the complexity of his character.Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Butter up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butter%20up. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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