apple polishers
Brown-nosing subordinates
Apple polishers are people who seek favor through flattery or excessive attentiveness to someone in authority.
The term evokes the image of a student bringing a shiny apple to the teacher, hoping to curry favor and get better treatment or grades.
It carries a distinctly negative connotation, suggesting insincerity and self-serving motives rather than genuine respect.
The other employees resented the apple polishers who always agreed with whatever the boss said.
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- kiss upFlatter obsequiously for gain
- ingratiatorOne who seeks approval
- complimentWords expressing approval
- courtiersRoyal court members
toady · lickspittle · brown-noser · brown nosing · ass kisser · backscratcher · sycophant · currying favor · curry favor · bootlicker · adulator · fawner · teacher's pet · fair-haired boy · playing favorites · obsequiousness · groveling · favoritism
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
apple polishersstraight shooters
Forthright, honest individuals
truth-tellers · mavericks · nonconformists · rebels · free spirits
apple polishersrebels
Armed opposition fighters
troublemakers · rabble-rousers · dissidents · agitators · contrarians
apple, polisher, apples, polish, polished, polishing, polishes