bootlicking
Obsequious praise-giving behavior
Bootlicking is excessive flattery or subservience toward someone in power, motivated by self-interest.
A bootlicker debases themselves to curry favor: The promotion went to the biggest bootlicker in the department.
The image is of someone so eager to please that they'd literally lick another's boots.
The verb bootlick and noun bootlicker follow naturally.
Servilely attentive to superiors
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- cringingShrinking in discomfort
slavish · abject · kowtowing · deferential · meek · prostrate · sycophantic · unctuous
Obsequious behavior toward authority
- adulationExtravagant, servile praise
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- toadyismServile flattery seeking favor
- apple-polishingSycophantic behavior for advantage
brownnosing · obsequiousness · sweet-talk · smarm · ingratiating · schmoozing · smooth-talking · kowtowing
Obsequious flatterer seeking favor
- lackeyServile follower or minion
- fawnerOne who flatters servilely
- brownnoserServile flatterer seeking favor
- flunkeyServile attendant or follower
yes-man · groveler · minion · stooge · lapdog · doormat · flatterer · apple-polisher
Favoring friends in appointments
- patronageSupporter's financial backing
- nepotismPreferring kin in hiring
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- careerismExcessive focus on advancement
loyalist · apparatchik · functionary · opportunism · sycophancy · toadying · advancement
obsequious
Servilely attentive to superiors
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
cringing · slavish · abject · kowtowing · deferential · meek · prostrate · sycophantic · unctuous · sniveling
sycophancy
Obsequious behavior toward authority
- adulationExtravagant, servile praise
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- toadyismServile flattery seeking favor
apple-polishing · brownnosing · obsequiousness · sweet-talk · smarm · ingratiating · schmoozing · smooth-talking · kowtowing · overpraise
toady
Obsequious flatterer seeking favor
- lackeyServile follower or minion
- fawnerOne who flatters servilely
- brownnoserServile flatterer seeking favor
flunkey · yes-man · groveler · minion · stooge · lapdog · doormat · flatterer · apple-polisher · crawler
cronyism
Favoring friends in appointments
- patronageSupporter's financial backing
- nepotismPreferring kin in hiring
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
careerism · loyalist · apparatchik · functionary · opportunism · sycophancy · toadying · advancement
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- praiselauding, compliments, laudation, accolades, great job
- office politicsoffice politics, backstabbing, power plays, favoritism, nepotism
- submissivenesssubmissiveness, docility, meekness, obedience, tractability
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, brownnosers
- submissionsubmission hold, submitting, surrendering, capitulation, yielding
bootlickingdefiance
Open resistance to authority
insubordination · rebelliousness · defiant · unsubmissive · insolence
lick, boots, licking, bootlicker, bootlick, bootlickers, lickings, bootlicks, bootlicked