suck up to

verb

1. informal,  to flatter for one's own profit; toady

Idioms and Phrases

Behave obsequiously towards, ingratiate oneself with, as in Now that he's the boss they're all sucking up to him, hoping to get big raises. [Vulgar slang; mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said this week that the ruling Labour Party collapsed the trial because “the prime minister wants to suck up to Beijing.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

“It’s managed media. And it’s no good. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous. And you can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian — a criminal — administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"He's not going to poke President Trump in the eye. That would cause a problem for Canada. On the other hand he isn't going to suck up to Donald Trump," says Prof Cappe, who was also a high commissioner to the UK.

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Howard meanwhile had suggestions when it came to the ways other characters might suck up to him.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It's also grappling with the massive group of MPs elected last year, with some eager backbenchers actively trying to make Sir Keir's case, unkindly branded by one source as "toadies" trying to suck up to the leadership.

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Related Words

• deceive 
• delude 
• dupe 
• entice 
• entrap 
• seduce 
• tantalize 
• tempt 
• wheedle