kisses up
Seeks approval servilely
To kiss up is to flatter or ingratiate oneself with someone in authority, typically to gain favor or advantage.
The behavior suggests submissiveness—putting one's lips where they don't belong: He's always kissing up to the boss.
Someone who kisses up is a kiss-up.
The phrasal verb also appears as kiss ass, with the noun form kiss-ass.
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- ego strokingExcessive praise for validation
- sycophancyObsequious behavior toward authority
- insecurityUncertainty about oneself
- bossWorkplace superior
brown-nosing · brown noser · authority · self-preservation · opportunism · sucking up · buttering up · ambition · social climbing · climbing the ladder · superior · kowtowing · obsequiousness · bootlicking · dependency · pandering · playing favorites · groveling
kisses updefies
Openly resists or challenges
stands up to · talks back · disrespects · insubordinates · challenges
kisses uppunches down
Deflates fermented dough
talks back · disrespects · defies · stands up to · challenges