name-dropping
Definition
Noun: The act of casually mentioning the names of famous, important, or influential people, typically to imply personal acquaintance or connection with them, in order to impress others or enhance one's own social status.
Usage
The term "name-dropping" describes a specific social behavior. It is used as an uncountable noun to label the practice itself. It often carries a negative connotation, suggesting the speaker is being pretentious or insecure.
Examples
- His constant name-dropping of celebrities he's supposedly met became tiresome.
- She accused the politician of subtle name-dropping during the interview to gain credibility.
- There's a fine line between sharing a relevant anecdote and outright name-dropping.
Advanced Usage
- As a verb (to name-drop): While the primary entry is a noun, the related verb form "to name-drop" is commonly used.
- He tends to name-drop whenever he feels insecure in a conversation.
- As an adjective (name-dropping): The term can function attributively.
- The article was full of name-dropping references that added little substance.
Variants and Related Words
- Name-dropper (noun): A person who habitually engages in name-dropping.
- He's a notorious name-dropper; every story involves a famous director.
Synonyms
- Boasting
- Bragging
- Pretentiousness
Related Idioms and Phrases
- To drop names: This is the phrasal verb form synonymous with "to name-drop."
- She has a tendency to drop names like the CEO and the mayor to sound important.
Noun
-
the practice of casually mentioning important people in order to impress your listener
-
the hard thing about name-dropping is to avoid being too obvious about it
-
