gladhand
Insincere politician's greeting
To gladhand is to greet someone with effusive warmth, especially in a way that feels performative or insincere.
Politicians gladhand voters, working a crowd with handshakes and smiles.
The noun gladhand describes such a greeting, and a gladhander is someone known for this behavior: He spent the reception gladhanding donors.
The warmth implied is strategic rather than genuine.
Feigning belief or feeling
- smarmyInsincerely ingratiating
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- artificialMade, not natural
feigned · disingenuous · hollow · superficial · perfunctory · plastic · affected · slick
Warm, friendly disposition
- cordialitySincere friendly warmth
- genialityWarmth of manner
- warmthHeat you feel
- gregariousnessLove of being social
conviviality · amiability · charm · rapport · small-talk · chitchat · banter · backslapping
People you know professionally
- connectionsRelationships between things
- schmoozingCasual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
- conferencesOrganized professional assemblies
introductions · meet-and-greet · receptions · handshakes · back-slapping · glad-handing · mixers · fundraisers
Obsequious behavior toward authority
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousnessServile eagerness to please
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
- sweet-talkFlatter to persuade
blandishment · adulation · compliments · smooth-talking · kowtowing · grovelling · pandering · ingratiating
insincere
Feigning belief or feeling
- smarmyInsincerely ingratiating
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
artificial · feigned · disingenuous · hollow · superficial · perfunctory · plastic · affected · slick · glib
affability
Warm, friendly disposition
- cordialitySincere friendly warmth
- genialityWarmth of manner
- warmthHeat you feel
gregariousness · conviviality · amiability · charm · rapport · small-talk · chitchat · banter · backslapping · bonhomie
contacts
People you know professionally
- connectionsRelationships between things
- schmoozingCasual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
conferences · introductions · meet-and-greet · receptions · handshakes · back-slapping · glad-handing · mixers · fundraisers
sycophancy
Obsequious behavior toward authority
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousnessServile eagerness to please
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
sweet-talk · blandishment · adulation · compliments · smooth-talking · kowtowing · grovelling · pandering · ingratiating · servility