variants
also flunkey
or flunkie
1
as in servant
a person hired to perform household or personal services
since I'm just the flunky who files his papers, I've no idea where he is
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sycophant
a person who flatters another in order to get ahead
a rock star who saw through the phonies and the flunkies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of flunky
One fib could land him in jail with the rest of his flunkies.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 May 2024
Lou’s father runs the town, sort of like a low-level mobster in a mob that only employs flunkies and toadies with nothing better to do.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024
Brennan’s flunkies created a fake online profile to access the network used by the Senate Intelligence Committee, whose Democratic members were at the time investigating the CIA’s torture program.
—Becket Adams, National Review, 9 July 2023
In episode 5, Manfredi viciously killed a mob flunky, Nico, who Tina said had molested her while her father was serving a 25-year prison sentence.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for flunky
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 May 2024
Lou’s father runs the town, sort of like a low-level mobster in a mob that only employs flunkies and toadies with nothing better to do.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024
Brennan’s flunkies created a fake online profile to access the network used by the Senate Intelligence Committee, whose Democratic members were at the time investigating the CIA’s torture program.
—Becket Adams, National Review, 9 July 2023
In episode 5, Manfredi viciously killed a mob flunky, Nico, who Tina said had molested her while her father was serving a 25-year prison sentence.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for flunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunky
Noun
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Although the servant admits that Hamm has been like a father to him, their relationship is also highly dysfunctional.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
-
There would be no roads or currency and the project would be staffed by robot servants and flying cars.—
James Montague,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Noun
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As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
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Nobody advertises for sycophants, but often recruiting and interview processes can favor candidates who are agreeable and whose thinking doesn’t conflict with the status quo.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
Orwell’s warnings apply across the board, not just when obvious despots and lackeys let their fascist flags fly.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
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Shawn reluctantly agrees, but is humiliated when Cory starts acting corny around his friend Gambling Dan (Phil Buckman), and his lackey, Louie (Weiss).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Republican lickspittles like Lindsey Graham and Jim Banks praised Trump and trashed Zelenskyy while Russian leaders rejoiced.—
Maureen Dowd,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
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Of course, being a junior senator and attaching your name to legislation that has little chance of being enacted—none of those have bills passed—is very different from being Vice-President and chief lickspittle to Trump.—
John Cassidy,
The New Yorker,
22 July 2024
Noun
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Why Now? Unlike chatbots or single-task assistants, AI agents are evolving to operate autonomously within complex environments.—
Nikit Shah,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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The 64-year-old has worked behind the scenes in the television industry, including roles as a production assistant and camera operator.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Noun
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But the joke’s on us — Republican senators, who are the only players with any real power to stop them, have simply decided not to, all so that President Camacho can play at government with his favorite suck-ups.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2025
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Sara Fischer, Dave Lawler Dec 23, 2024 - Politics & Policy Media's suck-up moment Fearing political retribution and strained by new business challenges, media companies that once covered President-elect Trump with skepticism — and in many cases, disdain — are reconsidering their approach.—
Sara Fischer,
Axios,
14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Courtesy of Lucasfilm On an isolated farm at the outer reaches of a fascist empire, a mid-level government toady interrogates his victims.—
Jake Kleinman,
Wired News,
23 Apr. 2025
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The anecdote illustrates the contrast in competence and grasp of real world dangers between Reagan’s team and Trump’s toadies — and also between these presidents themselves.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After Christmas Day, Netflix will give fans a week to recover before dropping the finale.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
2 June 2025
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Since this season’s finale, which sees Mark abandon his outie’s wife, Gemma, to run away with the anarchic Helly, Britt Lower, who plays the character, has observed fans’ impassioned response to that cliffhanger.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunky. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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