timeserving
Adapting for advantage
Timeserving describes behavior that prioritizes personal advantage over principle, adapting one's views or actions to please those in power.
A timeserving politician shifts positions with polling data; a timeserving employee agrees with whatever the boss says.
The word carries contempt—it suggests cowardice dressed as pragmatism.
As a noun, timeserving is this practice: His timeserving cost him the respect of his colleagues.
One exploiting circumstances
- careeristAdvancement-obsessed professional
- careerismExcessive focus on advancement
- expedientUseful if not ideal
- pragmaticFocused on workable solutions
calculating · strategic · tactical · advantageous · convenient · provisional · temporary · utilitarian
Servile praise-giver
- sycophanticServilely flattering
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- toadyObsequious flatterer seeking favor
toadyism · bootlicking · brownnosing · apple-polishing · yes-man · flatterer · flattery · ingratiating
Skilled at controlling others
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- craftyCleverly deceptive
devious · insidious · unscrupulous · wily · shrewd · artful · slick · glib
Feigning belief or feeling
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- falseNot matching reality
feigned · artificial · duplicitous · two-faced · hollow · pretended · deceptive · untrustworthy
opportunist
One exploiting circumstances
- careeristAdvancement-obsessed professional
- careerismExcessive focus on advancement
- expedientUseful if not ideal
pragmatic · calculating · strategic · tactical · advantageous · convenient · provisional · temporary · utilitarian · adaptable
sycophant
Servile praise-giver
- sycophanticServilely flattering
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
toady · toadyism · bootlicking · brownnosing · apple-polishing · yes-man · flatterer · flattery · ingratiating · unctuous
manipulative
Skilled at controlling others
crafty · devious · insidious · unscrupulous · wily · shrewd · artful · slick · glib · designing
insincere
Feigning belief or feeling
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
false · feigned · artificial · duplicitous · two-faced · hollow · pretended · deceptive · untrustworthy · faithless
timeservingprincipled
Having strong moral beliefs
honorable · scrupulous · upright · ethical · incorruptible
timeservingsteadfast
Firmly loyal, unshakeable
unwavering · resolute · constant · loyal · faithful
timeservingprincipled
Having strong moral beliefs
steadfast · incorruptible · unwavering · constant · staunch
time, service, serving, servant, server, temporal, servitude, servile, disservice