toadying
/ˈtoʊ.di.ɪŋ/ · toad·y·ing
verb
- To behave in an obsequious or servile manner toward someone, especially in order to gain favor. He spent the whole meeting toadying over the CEO, hoping she would notice his loyalty.
noun
- The act or practice of toadying; sycophantic behavior. Her constant toadying made the staff cringe, as it undermined genuine teamwork.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The word toady originally compared a sycophant to a toad, a creature long associated with ugliness and contempt, before the verb and its -ing form entered common usage in the 1800s.