suck-up
Boss's favorite pet
A suck-up is someone who flatters or fawns over people in authority to gain favor: He's such a suck-up to the boss.
The term is dismissive, implying the behavior is transparent and servile.
As a verb, to suck up means to engage in such flattery: She's always sucking up to the professor.
Servile praise-giver
- toadyObsequious flatterer seeking favor
- flattererOne dispensing insincere praise
- bootlickerServile flatterer of superiors
- brown-noserOne who flatters superiors
yes-man · lackey · minion · apple-polisher · teacher's pet · lapdog · doormat · follower
Excessive insincere praise
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
- brown-nosingObsequious flattery for favor
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
groveling · pandering · ingratiating · ass-kissing · schmoozing · buttering up · kowtowing · obsequiousness
Workplace superior
- promotionRank increase or publicity
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
- office politicsPower dynamics at work
- advancementForward movement or promotion
networking · corporate · climbing · career · ambitious · colleague · supervisor · manager
Favored student
- front rowNearest tier of seats
- extra creditOptional work for higher grades
- homeworkStudent assignments for outside class
- valedictorianTop-ranked graduating student
favoritism · participation · overachiever · hand-raising · office hours · recommendation · professor · dean
sycophant
Servile praise-giver
- toadyObsequious flatterer seeking favor
- flattererOne dispensing insincere praise
- bootlickerServile flatterer of superiors
brown-noser · yes-man · lackey · minion · apple-polisher · teacher's pet · lapdog · doormat · follower · hanger-on
flattery
Excessive insincere praise
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
- brown-nosingObsequious flattery for favor
toadying · groveling · pandering · ingratiating · ass-kissing · schmoozing · buttering up · kowtowing · obsequiousness · apple-polishing
boss
Workplace superior
- promotionRank increase or publicity
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
- office politicsPower dynamics at work
advancement · networking · corporate · climbing · career · ambitious · colleague · supervisor · manager · raise
teacher's pet
Favored student
- front rowNearest tier of seats
- extra creditOptional work for higher grades
- homeworkStudent assignments for outside class
valedictorian · favoritism · participation · overachiever · hand-raising · office hours · recommendation · professor · dean · scholarship
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- sycophancyfawning, toadying, groveling, kowtowing, brown-nosing
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
- goody two-shoesteacher's pet, brown-noser, do-gooder, saint, angel
- fakesfake, fakes, counterfeit, counterfeits, imitation
- Office Typescorner office, executive suite, boardroom, conference room, private office
suck-uprebel
Authority defier
troublemaker · dissident · maverick · insubordinate · dissenter
suck-upfree spirit
Uninhibited, unconventional person
lone wolf · independent · iconoclast · individualist · freethinker