Sycophantize

To behave in a sycophantic manner; to act as a flatterer or parasite in order to gain favor, advantage, or influence from someone in authority or power. This involves excessive flattery, obsequiousness, and the downplaying or suppression of one's own opinions or beliefs to appease or ingratiate oneself with another. The act of sycophantizing is often driven by self-interest, a desire for personal gain, or fear of repercussions from the person being flattered. It often manifests as exaggerated praise, constant agreement, and a willingness to perform servile acts, regardless of their ethical implications. It is a performance designed to manipulate the subject and exploit their vulnerabilities for personal advancement. The behavior is often perceived as insincere and contemptible by those outside of the sycophant's immediate circle.

Sycophantize meaning with examples

• The ambitious young executive began to sycophantize relentlessly to the CEO, showering him with compliments and agreeing with every single opinion, even when they were clearly misguided. This desperate sycophantizing was transparent to the rest of the staff, who found it both embarrassing and irritating, viewing it as a clear attempt to climb the corporate ladder through disingenuous means, disregarding the true work ethics.
• During the court case, the lawyer’s tactic was to constantly sycophantize the judge in the hopes of a favorable ruling, he constantly addressed the judge with the highest honors, and with every answer, he showed a lot of respect. Although, most people viewing the case found it to be very off-putting, because they knew that the lawyer was only doing it to try and gain a good ruling on the case.
• The politician was accused of sycophantizing the wealthy donors, tailoring his policy stances to align with their interests and avoid any criticism of their actions. During all his press conferences, he always ensured to show his appreciation of what the donors had provided the campaign, this constant flattery of his patrons was viewed by the public as a worrying sign of corruption and lack of integrity.
• In order to get the promotion, the junior employee decided to overtly sycophantize his manager, consistently praising her work and subtly criticizing the efforts of her peers. He agreed with everything she said and provided gifts and services to prove his allegiance. This was a very obvious tactic to climb the ladder, this eventually isolated him from his colleagues, who saw him as untrustworthy and opportunistic.
• The journalist was criticized for sycophantizing the celebrity, writing overwhelmingly positive articles and avoiding any critical commentary to maintain access to exclusive interviews. The sycophantizing approach, that the journalist deployed, compromised the journalist's professional integrity, and undermined the potential for objective reporting. Most people found this to be unethical.