glad-handers
Phony friendly types
Glad-handers are people who greet others with excessive friendliness, typically for self-serving purposes.
The term suggests insincerity—someone working a room, shaking hands and smiling not from genuine warmth but to curry favor or advance their interests.
Politicians and salespeople often attract the label: The convention was full of glad-handers and their business cards.
Fraudulent person or thing
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- sycophanticServilely flattering
obsequious · fawning · unctuous · smarmy · slick · glib · ingratiating · duplicitous
Actively pursuing political support
- stumpingCampaigning for office
- ralliesGathers or recovers
- fundraisersEvents gathering money for causes
- constituentsParts of a whole
candidates · lobbyists · incumbents · elections · canvassing · politicos · operatives · primaries
Casual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
- socializingEngaging with others recreationally
- connectionsRelationships between things
- contactsPeople you know professionally
rapport · acquaintances · meet-and-greet · mixers · receptions · handshakes · introductions · circulating
Warm and approachable
- gregariousFond of companionship
- convivialSociable and cheerful
- extrovertedEnergized by social interaction
- outgoingSociable and unreserved
personable · smooth · suave · genial · amiable · engaging · charismatic · effusive
Without much depth
- surface-levelConcerning only the outermost layer
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- veneerDecorative outer layer
- hollowEmpty within
empty · platitudes · performative · token · cursory · perfunctory · skin-deep · pretense
phony
Fraudulent person or thing
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
sycophantic · obsequious · fawning · unctuous · smarmy · slick · glib · ingratiating · duplicitous · false
campaigning
Actively pursuing political support
- stumpingCampaigning for office
- ralliesGathers or recovers
- fundraisersEvents gathering money for causes
constituents · candidates · lobbyists · incumbents · elections · canvassing · politicos · operatives · primaries
schmoozing
Casual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
- socializingEngaging with others recreationally
- connectionsRelationships between things
contacts · rapport · acquaintances · meet-and-greet · mixers · receptions · handshakes · introductions · circulating · name-dropping
affable
Warm and approachable
- gregariousFond of companionship
- convivialSociable and cheerful
- extrovertedEnergized by social interaction
outgoing · personable · smooth · suave · genial · amiable · engaging · charismatic · effusive · backslapping
shallow
Without much depth
- surface-levelConcerning only the outermost layer
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- veneerDecorative outer layer
hollow · empty · platitudes · performative · token · cursory · perfunctory · skin-deep · pretense · show
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
glad-handersstraight shooters
Forthright, honest individuals
truth-tellers · honest brokers · real ones · salt of the earth
glad-handersrecluses
People avoiding all society
introverts · wallflowers · loners · hermits · shrinking violets
glad-hander, glad-handing, glad-hand, glad, gladly, gladness, gladder, gladdest, gladden