Manipulative Behavior

noun the act of trying to gain favor or approval

adjective intended to gain approval or favor; charming or flattering

• She attempted to win over the new boss by using ingratiating language and gestures.
• He was being overly ingratiating towards his crush, hoping she would notice him.
• Stop being so ingratiating, it's getting annoying.
• The politician's ingratiating smile hid his true intentions.

noun A person who entices or leads someone astray, typically into a sexual relationship.

• The accused was known as a notorious seducer who preyed on vulnerable individuals.
• I heard that guy is a real smooth talker, a total seducer.
• Watch out for that player, he's a real seducer.
• The seducer of dreams whispered promises of success and happiness, leading many astray.

verb to smile or speak in a way that is insincere or excessive

adjective having a silly or affected smile

• She couldn't stand his constant simpering whenever he was around her.
• Stop simpering and just be yourself!
• I can't believe she's still simpering over that guy.
• His simpering attitude towards authority figures never fails to annoy me.

adjective having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature

adverb in a sly or cunning manner

• The detective noticed the suspect's sly smile during questioning.
• She gave him a sly wink to let him know she was joking.
• He's always pulling sly pranks on his friends.
• The politician's sly tactics were finally exposed to the public.

adjective having a false earnestness or ingratiating manner

• The politician's smarmy demeanor did not sit well with the voters.
• I can't stand that smarmy guy who always tries to act so charming.
• That smarmy dude thinks he's so slick, but he's really just a phony.
• Her words were coated in a smarmy layer of insincerity.

noun a long limbless reptile that has no eyelids, a short tail, and jaws that are capable of considerable extension

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

• Beware of individuals who may act like a snake in the grass, hiding their true intentions.
• I always keep an eye out for that snake in the grass who tries to cause trouble.
• Don't trust him, he's a total snake in the grass.
• The competitor proved to be a snake in the grass, waiting to sabotage our project.

adjective Sycophantic is an adjective that describes someone who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage.

• The sycophantic behavior of the employees towards the boss was quite evident during the meeting.
• I can't stand that sycophantic guy who always agrees with everything the boss says.
• Stop being so sycophantic, it's annoying.
• Her sycophantic attitude towards the popular kids in school was like a moth to a flame.

verb to act in a subservient manner; to behave obsequiously

• The employee was accused of truckling to his superiors in order to gain favor.
• Stop truckling to the boss just to get ahead, it's not worth it.
• He's always truckling to the higher-ups, it's so annoying.
• She felt like she was constantly truckling to the demands of society.

noun a person who always agrees with their superiors or with people in authority, often to gain favor or advantage

• He was often criticized for surrounding himself with yes men who never challenged his decisions.
• I can't stand being around a yes man who agrees with everything I say.
• Don't be a yes man and just go along with whatever they tell you.
• Being a yes man may seem like the easy way out, but it's important to stand up for what you believe in.

noun a person who pretends to be a friend but actually betrays or deceives others

• The company uncovered evidence of a front-stabber within the organization.
• I can't believe he turned out to be a front-stabber after all this time.
• Watch out for that guy, he's a total front-stabber.
• In the world of politics, front-stabbers are unfortunately quite common.

noun a personality disorder characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy for others, and a need for excessive admiration

• The psychologist diagnosed the patient with malignant narcissism, a severe personality disorder.
• I heard that guy has malignant narcissism, he's always talking about himself.
• She's such a narcissist, it's like she has malignant narcissism or something.
• The politician's malignant narcissism was evident in his constant need for attention and praise.

verb to engage in a risky or dangerous activity in order to gain an advantage

• It is unethical for a business to fish in troubled waters by taking advantage of a competitor's misfortune.
• I don't want to fish in troubled waters by getting involved in their family drama.
• I heard he's trying to fish in troubled waters by spreading rumors about his ex-girlfriend.
• Instead of trying to fish in troubled waters, it's better to focus on finding solutions to the problem.

noun A person who is pretending to be unintelligent or ignorant.

verb An action word that describes the act of pretending to be unintelligent or ignorant.

adjective Describes the behavior of pretending to be unintelligent or ignorant.

• It is unprofessional to act dumb during a job interview.
• Don't act dumb when your teacher asks you a question in class.
• Stop acting dumb, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
• She likes to act dumb to avoid taking responsibility for her actions.