gladhanded
Worked the room
Gladhanded is the past tense of gladhand, meaning to greet effusively or schmooze, typically with insincerity or ulterior motives.
Politicians gladhand voters at rallies, working the crowd with handshakes and smiles: He gladhanded his way through the fundraiser.
The word carries a whiff of phoniness—warmth performed rather than felt.
Fraudulent person or thing
- smarmyInsincerely ingratiating
- slickSmooth or craftily adept
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
- oleaginousUnpleasantly ingratiating or greasy
hollow · superficial · fake · disingenuous · pretentious · two-faced · smooth-talking · glib
Casual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
- socializingEngaging with others recreationally
- circulatingMoving in a circuit
- hobnobbingCasual social mingling
meet-and-greet · introductions · reception · mixer · rapport-building · connections · contacts · name-dropping
Actively pursuing political support
- stumpingCampaigning for office
- canvassingSystematic direct voter outreach
- rallyingAssembling for unified action
- fundraiserEvent collecting money
donor · constituent · lobbyist · election · photo-op · handshaking · populist · electioneering
Excessively praising, often insincerely
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- sycophanticServilely flattering
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
bootlicking · brownnosing · kowtowing · servile · adulatory · grovelling · ass-kissing · apple-polishing
phony
Fraudulent person or thing
- smarmyInsincerely ingratiating
- slickSmooth or craftily adept
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
oleaginous · hollow · superficial · fake · disingenuous · pretentious · two-faced · smooth-talking · glib · contrived
schmoozing
Casual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
- socializingEngaging with others recreationally
- circulatingMoving in a circuit
hobnobbing · meet-and-greet · introductions · reception · mixer · rapport-building · connections · contacts · name-dropping
campaigning
Actively pursuing political support
- stumpingCampaigning for office
- canvassingSystematic direct voter outreach
- rallyingAssembling for unified action
fundraiser · donor · constituent · lobbyist · election · photo-op · handshaking · populist · electioneering · pandering
flattering
Excessively praising, often insincerely
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- sycophanticServilely flattering
toadying · bootlicking · brownnosing · kowtowing · servile · adulatory · grovelling · ass-kissing · apple-polishing · deferential
gladhandedgenuine
Truly what it claims
sincere · warmhearted · heartfelt · earnest · authentic
gladhandedcold-shouldered
Pointedly ignored socially
snubbed · aloof · standoffish · distant · reserved