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
Relevance
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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flunky
By quieting the clamor among the offended Giants, Mays was not acting as a flunky for his white manager.
—
Aram Goudsouzian / Made By History, TIME, 25 June 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for flunky
Aram Goudsouzian / Made By History, TIME, 25 June 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for flunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunky
Noun
-
The Forty Steps, located at the end of Narragansett Avenue a half mile north of the Breakers, was a popular meeting spot for Gilded Age domestics, especially Irish servants, who gathered there to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
3 July 2025
-
The couple had 10 children, including Peter Fossett, who was an enslaved house servant.—
Jeff Suess,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Hitler surrounded himself with sycophants, had zero tolerance for dissent and demanded unwavering loyalty.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
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
-
Outside of one good scene between Clark and Lois, almost every frame is constantly packed with characters, whether this is the (admittedly very funny) Justice Gang (Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi’s scene-stealing Mister Terrific) or Lex and his lackeys.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
-
Where Supes clocks an evil lackey straight in the jaw so hard that his teeth hit the camera lens?—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2024
-
What happened to the idea that art and culture should be a contemptuous refuge from the mainstream, as opposed to this lickspittle, running dog accommodation to the mainstream?—
Billboard Staff,
Billboard,
3 June 2022
Noun
-
Holt, McDonald and Heiss all have listed themselves as San Diego State assistants on their social media accounts, though SDSU has not yet officially announced the hirings.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
-
Elsewhere in the Cox Pavilion were multiple representatives of the Magic front office including president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, general manager Anthony Parker and assistant GM Stephen Mervis.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Images of toadies buttering up an emperor come to mind.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
11 July 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Brit Page himself has been a popular fan pick to play 007 since his breakout starring turn in the first season of Netflix/Shondaland’s Bridgerton.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
-
Caitlin Clark’s presence on the Indiana Fever led to opposing teams changing venues to a larger seating capacity to host thousands more fans than usual for games.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunky. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share