kissed up
Played the sycophant
Kissed up is the past tense of kiss up, meaning to have flattered or fawned over someone in authority to gain favor.
The phrase suggests insincere or excessive deference aimed at personal benefit rather than genuine respect.
He kissed up to the boss all year hoping for a promotion.
Someone who habitually engages in this behavior may be called a kiss-up.
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
- sycophancyObsequious behavior toward authority
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- buttering upExcessive flattery for advantage
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
currying favor · pandering · servility · brown-nosing · brown nosing · sucking up · kowtowing · bending the knee · apple-polishing · ambition · favoritism · opportunism · obsequiousness · placating · good graces · self-preservation · manipulation · submission
- fawnedgroveled, kowtowed, toadied, flattered, curried favor
kissed uptalked back
Replied disrespectfully to authority
stood up to · defied · disrespected · snubbed · dismissed
kissed uprebelled
Resisted those in charge
defied · stood up to · challenged · talked back · pushed back