charm offensive
Strategic likability campaign
A charm offensive is a deliberate campaign of friendliness or flattery designed to win someone over or improve one's image.
The term carries ironic weight—offensive suggests aggression, yet the weapon is pleasantness: The new CEO launched a charm offensive with skeptical board members.
Often implies calculated rather than genuine warmth.
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- ingratiationDeliberate favor-seeking behavior
- coaxingPersuading through gentle persistence
- complimentWords expressing approval
- sweet-talkFlatter to persuade
persuasion · soft sell · winning over · soft power · hearts and minds · goodwill tour · manipulation · calculated · damage control · adulation · schmoozing · making nice · cajolery · olive branch · diplomacy · wooing · courting · social influence
- manipulationgaslighting, guilt tripping, blame-shifting, brainwashing, guilt trip
- power tacticspower play, power grab, strong-arm, strong-arming, strongarm
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, slyness
- negotiationbargaining, bargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- insincerityinsincerity, phoniness, fakeness, falseness, pretense
charm offensiveaggression
Hostile or attacking behavior
saber-rattling · belligerence · threats · antagonism · bullying
charm offensivecold shoulder
Intentional dismissive treatment
silent treatment · withdrawal · avoidance · disengagement · aloofness
charm, charming, offensive, enchanting, charmed, enchanted, charmer, enchantment, charmingly