brown-noser

brown-noser — noun

1. a person who praises and agrees with someone powerful in an obvious, unpleasant

1.名詞C1
釋義

a person who praises and agrees with someone powerful in an obvious, unpleasant way because they want rewards, approval, or special treatment

例句

Everyone in the office knew Faisal was a brown-noser after he praised every silly plan.

pattern: be a brown-noser after public praise

Nadia called the new intern a brown-noser after the intern laughed at every weak joke.

pattern: call someone a brown-noser

同義詞
  • bootlicker

    equally insulting and often a little more blunt or aggressive

  • sycophant

    more formal and more common in journalism or political writing

  • yes-man

    stresses constant agreement more than embarrassing praise

  • flatterer

    broader and less slangy; praise may be excessive without being crude

反義詞
  • critic

    speaks honestly instead of flattering authority for gain

  • straight talker

    says what they really think rather than trying to please power

文法句型

be a brown-noser

call someone a brown-noser

sound like a brown-noser

用法筆記

Strongly insulting and very informal. Usually aimed at someone who flatters a boss, teacher, coach, or other powerful person in a way that feels obvious and embarrassing.

常見錯誤

❌She is a brown-noser because she is always polite to teachers.
✅She is a brown-noser because she flatters teachers to get special treatment.
💡The word implies fake praise for advantage, not ordinary politeness.
❌He is a brown-noser because he works hard for the manager.
✅He is a brown-noser because he keeps praising the manager to win favor.
💡Working hard is not brown-nosing unless it includes obvious flattery.