/ˈlæk.i/ (noun & verb)

Definition of lackey

1. an obedient follower who is extremely willing to obey another person’s orders unconditionally, an obsequious or servile person, bureaucrat, flunkey, minion, doormat, flatterer, subordinate, toady, puppet, sycophant, pawn, yes man
2. a male or man servant, manservant
3. to lackey: to behave in a servile manner like a lackey

Video of lackey

Lackey in context

Receiving insincere criticism from friends who are merely lackeys is a frustrating experience. These individuals, lacking the courage to offer genuine feedback, often resort to veiled insults or passive-aggressive comments. Their words, devoid of constructive intent, aim to undermine rather than uplift. Such behavior not only hinders personal growth but also damages the foundation of friendship.

When faced with such criticism, it’s crucial to recognize the true nature of the feedback. These lackeys, driven by their own insecurities or ulterior motives, may offer opinions that are rooted in personal bias rather than objective evaluation. By understanding the source of the criticism, one can mitigate its negative impact and focus on genuine feedback from those who truly care.

To navigate such situations, it’s essential to maintain a strong sense of self-awareness and self-worth. By recognizing the limitations of the criticism and trusting one’s own judgment, one can effectively shield oneself from the negativity. It’s also important to seek out the opinions of trusted mentors or colleagues who can provide honest and constructive feedback. By surrounding oneself with supportive individuals, one can foster a positive environment for growth and development.

Antonyms

confidant

/fɔːn/ (adj, noun & verb)

Verb: to grovel, pander, flatter, bootlick, butter up, ingratiate oneself with, be obsequious to, toady, curry favor with, kowtow, be sycophantic to

Noun: a young deer

Adjective: a pale yellowish brown color

“There’s a personal cost to ingratiating yourself with your boss, or fawning over him” said Anthony Klotz, an associate professor of management in the College of Business at Oregon State University and the lead author of the paper. “When your energy is depleted, it may nudge you into slack-off territory.”

Ingratiation is just one of many behaviors employees use to create and maintain their desired image in the workplace. Past research has shown that successful use of these behaviors, known collectively as impression management tactics, can have benefits for employees, including stronger performance evaluations.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/

Adjective: fawning

Adverb: fawningly

/ˈsɪk.ə.fænt/ (noun)

Definition

a person who praises or flatters other people usually in authority for personal gain, fawning flatterer, bootlicker, fawner, toady, yes man, lickspittle

Example

The relationships we build with others are important. They provide us with perspective, and they also provide support, love, and comfort. These relationships bring a lot of value into our lives, but they can also undermine them considerably. This becomes especially true when we’re dealing with false or insincere people or sycophants. The longer they go unchecked in our lives, the more havoc they can wreak.

Insincere people are everywhere. They can be our friends; our coworkers, etc. It’s not unusual to say things you don’t mean, but the insincere person takes this one step further. When it comes to their words (and their deeds) the goal is simple: tell them what they want to hear in order to get what you want. To protect ourselves from this manipulation, we have to learn to spot their behaviors in our lives.

Source: https://medium.com/

Parts of speech

Adjective: sycophantic

Adverb: sycophantically

Noun: sycophancy

/ˈtəʊ.di/ (noun & verb)

Noun: a sycophantic person who flatters people in authority or power to get some advantage from them, servile person, sycophant, yes-man, groveler, flatterer, crawler, fawner, apple-polisher

Verb: to ingratiate oneself with, grovel to, flatter, butter someone up, curry favor with, be obsequious, kowtow

The company manager is surrounded by a crowd of sycophants and toadies, yet he’s too dumb to figure it out.

Adjective: toadyish

Noun: toadyism

Ingratiate GRE Vocabulary Flashcard

/ ɪnɡreɪʃieɪt/ (verb)

to try very hard to get someone’s approval – used to show disapproval, flatter, curry favor, suck up, insinuate yourself, toady, crawl, grovel, get in with, cozy up:

His policy is to ingratiate himself with anyone who might be useful to him.

Antonyms

alienate

Parts of Speech

• Noun: ingratiation
• Noun: ingratiator