ingratiated
Sought approval deliberately
Ingratiated is the past tense of ingratiate, meaning to bring oneself into someone's favor through deliberate effort.
The effort often involves flattery or eager compliance: He ingratiated himself with the boss by laughing at every joke.
The word carries a faintly negative connotation—suggesting the favor-seeking is calculated rather than genuine.
Excessive insincere praise
- sycophancyObsequious behavior toward authority
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
- brown-nosingObsequious flattery for favor
charm offensive · sweet-talking · compliments · praise · butter up · smooth talk · obsequiousness · toadying
Building professional relationships
- social climbingSeeking higher status
- insiderOne with confidential access
- acceptanceConsent to receive
- belongingState of fitting in
clique · inner circle · good graces · approval-seeking · people-pleasing · winning over · rapport-building · befriending
Figured out mathematically
- strategicDeliberately planned for advantage
- ulterior motivesConcealed purposes driving behavior
- self-servingBenefiting oneself primarily
- opportunisticExploiting circumstances for gain
cunning · scheming · advancement · agenda · exploitation · insincerity · deception · pretense
flattery
Excessive insincere praise
- sycophancyObsequious behavior toward authority
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
brown-nosing · charm offensive · sweet-talking · compliments · praise · butter up · smooth talk · obsequiousness · toadying · kowtowing
networking
Building professional relationships
- social climbingSeeking higher status
- insiderOne with confidential access
- acceptanceConsent to receive
belonging · clique · inner circle · good graces · approval-seeking · people-pleasing · winning over · rapport-building · befriending · alliance
calculated
Figured out mathematically
- strategicDeliberately planned for advantage
- ulterior motivesConcealed purposes driving behavior
- self-servingBenefiting oneself primarily
opportunistic · cunning · scheming · advancement · agenda · exploitation · insincerity · deception · pretense · machination
- fawnedgroveled, kowtowed, toadied, flattered, curried favor
ingratiatedalienated
Made distant or hostile
estranged · antagonized · offended · repelled · distanced