Acolyte

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(pronounced ak-uh-lyt) noun

Definition

1. someone who assists a member of the clergy in the performance of liturgical rites; altar boy. 2. an attendant or assistant; an ardent follower or supporter; devotee.

Main Example

• Several of Donald Trump's most vociferous supporters who have long been in the public eye are in legal hot water. For instance, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, perhaps the fiercest of Trump acolytes, is being investigated by the Dept. of Justice for allegedly violating federal sex trafficking laws. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and pro-Trump attorney Sidney Powell are the targets of $1.8b and $1.3b defamation lawsuits respectively by election technology firm Dominion. And Rudy Giuliani, without whose mention even a partial list such as this would not be complete, is the defendant in similar lawsuits by Dominion and Smartmatic.

Workplace Examples

• In my opinion, the main reason why our firm keeps making strategic blunders is this: Our founder, president and CEO, Robert, is surrounded by a bunch of acolytes who are not particularly good at telling him "You screwed up on this one."
• I am surprised to learn that during your lunch with Pat, you said all these uncharitable things about Stan. Didn't you know that Pat is Stan's acolyte?

Other Examples

• this author telling someone: "Like you, I too am a PBS acolyte, but my absolute favorite show is 'CBS Sunday Morning.'"
• the famous 2011 documentary "Reagan," directed by Eugene Jarecki, probably upsetting many of Ronald Reagan's acolytes since it explodes some of the myths surrounding the former president's legacy (myths such as Reagan being someone who always held the line against tax increases when, in reality and for practical reasons, he raised taxes eleven times after that initial big tax cut, according to former Republican senator and longtime Reagan friend Alan Simpson)
• Lady Gaga, famous for her outrageous and sensational outfits, once arriving at a Grammy award night encased in a giant egg that was being carried by four acolytes
• a symphony conductor who is one of the strongest acolytes of the composer Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
• During an interview with Diane Sawyer a few years ago, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld described George W. Bush as "being his own man," implying that from the time he became president, Bush acted independently of his father, the first President Bush. Justifying that praise, Rumsfeld pointed out that the younger Bush had appointed him defense secretary knowing full well that he (Rumsfeld) was a critic and detractor rather than an acolyte of George H. W. Bush.

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