pandering
Gratifying base instincts
Pandering is catering to base desires or prejudices, especially to gain approval or advantage.
A politician panders when they tell audiences whatever they want to hear rather than what's true or responsible: The speech was pure pandering to the base.
The word carries contempt—pandering suggests cynical manipulation rather than genuine responsiveness.
In legal contexts, pandering specifically means procuring customers for prostitutes.
Obsequious behavior toward authority
- ingratiationDeliberate favor-seeking behavior
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousnessServile eagerness to please
- adulationExtravagant, servile praise
toadyism · bootlicking · kowtowing · brown-nosing · sweet-talk · schmoozing · glad-handing · soft-soap
Easing another's anger
- mollifyingReducing anger or hostility
- conciliatingCalming hostile parties
- cateringSupplying prepared meals professionally
- kowtowingSubmissive display of respect
capitulating · yielding · acquiescing · accommodating · caving · bowing · deferring · compromising
Overhyped news coverage
- clickbaitSensationalized content for traffic
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- populismPolitics favoring ordinary citizens
- rabble-rousingInciting mob sentiment
fearmongering · cheap-shots · tabloid · provocative · inflammatory · manipulative · calculating · cynical
Profiting from prostitutes
- procuringGetting through effort
- solicitingActively seeking responses
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- brothelCommercial sex establishment
exploitation · vice · criminal · illicit · hustling
sycophancy
Obsequious behavior toward authority
- ingratiationDeliberate favor-seeking behavior
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousnessServile eagerness to please
adulation · toadyism · bootlicking · kowtowing · brown-nosing · sweet-talk · schmoozing · glad-handing · soft-soap · blarney
placating
Easing another's anger
- mollifyingReducing anger or hostility
- conciliatingCalming hostile parties
- cateringSupplying prepared meals professionally
kowtowing · capitulating · yielding · acquiescing · accommodating · caving · bowing · deferring · compromising · surrendering
sensationalism
Overhyped news coverage
- clickbaitSensationalized content for traffic
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- populismPolitics favoring ordinary citizens
rabble-rousing · fearmongering · cheap-shots · tabloid · provocative · inflammatory · manipulative · calculating · cynical · opportunistic
pimping
Profiting from prostitutes
- procuringGetting through effort
- solicitingActively seeking responses
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
brothel · exploitation · vice · criminal · illicit · hustling
- campaign jargonstump speech, talking points, sound bites, soundbite, soundbites
- people-pleasingappeasing, placating, accommodating, going along, giving in
- demagogueryrabble-rousing, fearmongering, fear mongering, scapegoating, incitement
- political tacticscampaigning, gerrymandering, filibuster, campaigns, voter suppression
- sycophancyfawning, toadying, groveling, kowtowing, brown-nosing
- vicevice, debauchery, prostitution, depravity, immorality
panderingprincipled
Having strong moral beliefs
integrity · conviction · moral courage · tough love · backbone
panderingchallenging
Hard to accomplish
confronting · truth-telling · educating · enlightening · pushing back
panderingsincerity
Honest, unfeigned genuineness
authenticity · genuine · candor · forthrightness · intellectual honesty