glad-hander
Phony social butterfly
A glad-hander is someone who greets others with excessive or insincere friendliness, typically for political or social advantage.
The term evokes the vigorous handshaking of politicians working a crowd: The mayor was a natural glad-hander, remembering names and slapping backs.
The verb glad-hand and noun glad-handing describe this behavior.
Fraudulent person or thing
- smarmyInsincerely ingratiating
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
- glibSuperficially articulate
- slickSmooth or craftily adept
oily · insincere · artificial · hollow · feigned · contrived · superficial · disingenuous
Casual social interaction
- receptionAct of receiving guests
- mixerCombines ingredients or people
- galaFestive formal occasion
- small-talkLight, casual conversation
schmoozing · circulating · networking · charmer · affable · gregarious · convivial · bonhomie
Servile praise-giver
- toadyObsequious flatterer seeking favor
- flattererOne dispensing insincere praise
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
ingratiation · sweet-talk · compliments · adulation · gushing · effusive · brown-noser · apple-polisher
One who advocates publicly
- lobbyistPaid legislative influencer
- constituentsParts of a whole
- fundraiserEvent collecting money
- stumpTrunk base after felling
rally · photo-op · endorsement · donor · caucus · incumbent · delegate · canvassing
phony
Fraudulent person or thing
- smarmyInsincerely ingratiating
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
- glibSuperficially articulate
slick · oily · insincere · artificial · hollow · feigned · contrived · superficial · disingenuous · two-faced
mingling
Casual social interaction
small-talk · schmoozing · circulating · networking · charmer · affable · gregarious · convivial · bonhomie · banter
sycophant
Servile praise-giver
- toadyObsequious flatterer seeking favor
- flattererOne dispensing insincere praise
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
obsequious · ingratiation · sweet-talk · compliments · adulation · gushing · effusive · brown-noser · apple-polisher · yes-man
campaigner
One who advocates publicly
- lobbyistPaid legislative influencer
- constituentsParts of a whole
- fundraiserEvent collecting money
stump · rally · photo-op · endorsement · donor · caucus · incumbent · delegate · canvassing · handshake
- smooth talkerssmooth talker, smooth-talker, sweet talker, sweet-talker, fast talker
- social peopleextrovert, extroverts, social butterfly, people person, socialite
- fakesfake, fakes, counterfeit, counterfeits, imitation
- networkersschmoozer, connector, mingler, relationship builder, handshaker
glad-handerrecluse
One choosing isolation
hermit · misanthrope · introvert · wallflower · loner
glad-handerstraight shooter
Forthright, blunt person
true friend · mensch · salt of the earth · genuine article · honest broker
glad, hand, gladly, gladness, gladsome, hands, handed, handing, handy