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Showing results for brown-nosing.

brown-nosing

ADJECTIVE
fawning
Synonyms
STRONGEST
flattering
STRONG
bootlicking bowing cowering crawling cringing humble ingratiating kowtowing prostrate scraping sniveling
WEAK
abject adulatory compliant mealy-mouthed obsequious parasitic servile slavish spineless submissive subservient sycophant sycophantic
Antonyms
WEAK
aloof cool disinterested proud unfriendly
ADJECTIVE
obsequious
Synonyms
WEAK
abject beggarly complacent compliable compliant cringing crouching deferential enslaved fawning flattering ingratiating kowtowing menial obeisant oily parasitic parasitical prostrate respectful servile slavish sneaking sniveling spineless stipendiary subject submissive subordinate subservient sycophantic toadying unctuous
Antonyms
WEAK
arrogant assertive brazen confident presumptuous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For those who think Watson suffered, stop with the celebrity brown-nosing, please.

From Washington Post • Aug. 1, 2022

OK, now we’re heading into potential brown-nosing territory.

From Golf Digest • Feb. 11, 2020

"Mozart in the Jungle" also depicts some of the more prosaic aspects of orchestral life — chronic financial difficulties, intractable union negotiations and the obligatory brown-nosing of wealthy patrons.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2014

Seth Stevenson: He did get disproportionate blowback from his brown-nosing.

From Slate • Apr. 8, 2013

But the spectre of delivering a speech brown-nosing the teachers jammed her imagination.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez