Business Networking Vocabulary

noun a person who lavishly praises or flatters others, especially in order to gain favor or advantage

• The backslapper in the office always makes sure to congratulate everyone on their accomplishments.
• He's such a backslapper, always patting people on the back and cracking jokes.
• That guy is a total backslapper, always trying to buddy up to the boss.
• The politician was known as a backslapper, always making deals behind closed doors.

noun a negative vote or decision, especially one that excludes a candidate from membership or from further participation

verb to vote against or exclude someone from membership by casting a black ball or by voting against them

• The committee decided to blackball the new applicant from joining their exclusive club.
• They're going to blackball him from the group if he doesn't apologize.
• They're gonna blackball her if she doesn't stop spreading rumors.
• The company tried to blackball their competitor by spreading false information about them.

noun influence or power, especially in politics or business

verb to hit or strike with force

• The CEO's decision carries a lot of clout within the company.
• She has a lot of clout with the higher-ups in the office.
• He's got major clout in the industry.
• Her words have the clout to influence public opinion.

noun a sweet drink made from fruits or flowers

adjective warm and friendly; polite and respectful

• The two diplomats exchanged cordial greetings before the meeting.
• We had a cordial chat over a cup of coffee.
• The party was really cordial, everyone was getting along so well.
• Despite their differences, they maintained a cordial relationship for the sake of their children.

noun the customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group

• It is important to follow proper etiquette when attending a formal dinner.
• She doesn't care much about etiquette, she just does whatever she wants.
• I can't believe he has no etiquette at all, he's so rude.
• In the world of business, etiquette can be seen as a form of currency.

noun a person who supports or helps another person, especially in a difficult situation

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• Having a friend at court can often help in navigating legal matters more smoothly.
• It's always good to have a friend at court who can give you inside information.
• If you ever get in trouble, make sure you have a friend at court to bail you out.
• In the corporate world, having a friend at court can be crucial for advancing your career.

noun a written or verbal request inviting someone to go somewhere or to do something

verb to ask someone to go somewhere or to do something

• We would like to formally invite you to attend our annual gala event.
• Hey, we're having a party this weekend, want to come? You're invited!
• Yo, we're throwing a bash next Friday, you gotta come, you're totally invited!
• The beautiful sunset seemed to invite us to stay a little longer and enjoy the view.

noun a group or system of interconnected people or things

verb to interact with others to exchange information or resources

• The company invested in upgrading their network infrastructure to improve efficiency.
• I need to connect to the office network to access the shared files.
• I'm part of a tight-knit network of creatives in the city.
• The network of relationships she has built over the years helped her succeed in business.

noun a sales pitch or presentation given in a social setting, such as a cocktail party

• The entrepreneur delivered a well-prepared cocktail pitch to the investors.
• The startup founder gave a killer cocktail pitch at the networking event.
• Did you hear about Sarah's cocktail pitch? It was lit!
• His cocktail pitch was like a perfectly mixed drink, leaving everyone wanting more.

noun a person who is eager to gain publicity or attention

• The celebrity was known to be a publicity hound, always seeking media attention.
• That guy is such a publicity hound, always trying to get his face in the news.
• She's a total publicity hound, always looking for ways to get noticed.
• The politician was a publicity hound, constantly seeking the spotlight.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• I will be happy to pick up the tab for dinner tonight.
• Don't worry about it, I'll pick up the tab this time.
• I got this, I'll pick up the tab for drinks.
• In the end, the company had to pick up the tab for their irresponsible actions.

adjective able to be contacted or reached using the video calling application Skype

• In today's digital age, it is important for professionals to be skypeable for remote meetings.
• Hey, are you skypeable for a quick video call later?
• I need to make sure my new phone is skypeable before I buy it.
• Her bubbly personality makes her very skypeable in social situations.

noun a temporary training program or job, usually unpaid, that is similar to an internship but takes place outside of a formal educational setting

• The medical student completed an externship at a local hospital to gain practical experience.
• I heard that Sarah landed an externship at a fashion magazine for the summer.
• I'm doing my externship at a cool startup next semester.
• Embarking on this new project feels like an externship in a whole different field.

verb A verb is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. In this case, 'acquaints' is a verb that means to make someone aware of or familiar with something.

• The training program acquaints new employees with company policies and procedures.
• Let me acquaint you with the best coffee shop in town.
• I'll acquaint you with the coolest hangout spot in the city.
• Reading books acquaints us with different perspectives and ideas.