1
as in butter
excessive praise
laid the blarney on thick in order to get special treatment from the waitress
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
his excuse was his usual blarney about how he'd love to help out but he was just so darned busy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to coax
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
attendants at the nursing home sometimes have to blarney the patients to take their medicine
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to honey
to praise too much
an eager, young assistant who blarneys the boss shamelessly
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blarney
Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 9 Mar. 2022
The blarney is still strong here (lapsing into Irish dialect is an occupational hazard of reading him), but these characters also act.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2022
Around the Cedars campus and among the Ross neighbors, Mulligan was known for his blarney, with a joke and a laugh for everyone.
—Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2021
The result feels like a film filtered less through real life than the rosy lens of sentiment and memory: a soft-focus Irish fairy tale bathed in love and blarney and a whole lot of warbling Van Morrison.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 4 Sep. 2021
See All Example Sentences for blarney
Noun
Menu: soda bread with Irish whiskey butter and fried cabbage and rashers; pork bangers and Irish colcannon with red onion gravy and blarney stones and Irish bananas.
—Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 9 Mar. 2022
The blarney is still strong here (lapsing into Irish dialect is an occupational hazard of reading him), but these characters also act.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2022
Around the Cedars campus and among the Ross neighbors, Mulligan was known for his blarney, with a joke and a laugh for everyone.
—Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2021
The result feels like a film filtered less through real life than the rosy lens of sentiment and memory: a soft-focus Irish fairy tale bathed in love and blarney and a whole lot of warbling Van Morrison.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 4 Sep. 2021
See All Example Sentences for blarney
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blarney
Noun
-
In a large, shallow Dutch oven or broiler-safe skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Cook in hot pan for 1 minute on each side until golden, then brush with butter or ghee.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Describing the plot as utter nonsense would both be 100 percent correct and likely taken as a massive compliment for all involved.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Mar. 2025
-
For Guy, using systems like Kibbe’s to guide your dress choices can mean making nonsense out of your clothes’ cultural grammar, especially in the rigidly codified world of menswear.—
Constance Grady,
Vox,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
As the ball tracked toward the hole, play-by-play and color announcers Shane Bacon and Doug Smith coaxed it into the hole.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Two previous deals aimed at ending the strike failed to coax enough guards back to end the crisis.—
Michael Hill,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Enjoy flavored nuts, such as those that are candied, glazed, or honied, in moderation.—
Selene Yeager,
Health,
24 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that seems to be what Ariana Grande thinks about Kelly Ripa's impersonation of her.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Starmer at a meeting in Washington last week used a mixture of flattery and the invitation from the royal family for an unprecedented second state visit to try to win a commitment from Trump for a U.S. security guarantee to protect Ukraine if a deal to end the war with Russia can be reached.—
Andrew MacAskill and Kate Holton,
USA TODAY,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The property also grows its own herbs, greens, nuts, berries, and edible flowers.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Focus on whole foods like fruits, leafy green vegetables, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Goswami praised her collaborators but also thanked the AFA academy — and herself.—
Patrick Brzeski,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Mar. 2025
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Fans have praised the bout and the performance of both guys as Strickland became the new #1 contender for the World Title.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Someone is then shot with a harpoon, only to have their guts pulled like taffy from the wound.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 Feb. 2025
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Boucher was on the hunt for Abba-Zaba, a chewy taffy bar with a real peanut butter center.—
Jessica Ma,
Sacramento Bee,
20 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Blarney.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blarney. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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