What does brownnosed mean?
To have brownnosed is to have flattered or fawned over someone — typically a boss, teacher, or other superior — in a servile, self-interested way. The verb "brown-nose" arose in American English in the mid-20th century, its crude literal image implying sycophancy so excessive that one's nose might come into contact with less-than-clean places. Today the past tense "brownnosed" appears most often in informal workplace talk, usually as criticism: someone who brownnoses is seen as insincere, ambitious at others' expense, and willing to trade dignity for advancement. Synonymous expressions include sucking up, buttering up, and currying favor, though none carry quite the same sting. The word is mildly vulgar by association but not obscene, making it a common shorthand in office humor for the colleague who laughs loudest at the manager's jokes. Its vivid imagery keeps it firmly embedded in everyday speech on both sides of the Atlantic.
verb (past tense and past participle)Past tense and past participle of "brown-nose": to flatter or obsequiously curry favor with someone, especially a superior, in order to gain advantage.
- To flatter or fawn obsequiously over someone, especially a superior, in order to win favor or advancement.
"He brownnosed his way into the promotion by showering the manager with compliments all year."
"She brownnosed the department head relentlessly, hoping to be first in line for the new position."
"Everyone knew he had brownnosed his way onto the committee rather than earning the spot on merit."
The word literally evokes a nose pressed where the sun doesn't shine — an image so vivid it has kept this workplace insult in use since the mid-20th century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of brownnosed
The verb "brown-nose" originated in American slang around the 1930s–1940s, popularized especially among military personnel during World War II. It derives from a crudely humorous literal image: a sycophant who keeps his nose so close to a superior's backside that it would become stained. The term spread from military into general workplace slang and is now standard informal vocabulary in both American and British English, though it retains its derogatory, slightly vulgar flavor. It belongs to the broad family of English sycophancy terms such as "toady," "sycophant," and "apple-polisher."
Related word forms
How brownnosed is actually used
Strongly informal and mildly derogatory; used almost exclusively to criticize someone's behavior, rarely self-descriptively except ironically. Common in workplace contexts in both British and American English. The hyphenated form "brown-nosed" is equally acceptable; the unhyphenated spelling is increasingly common.
Easily confused with brownnosed
"Brownstone" is a reddish-brown building material or townhouse built from it; "brownnose" is a verb meaning to flatter someone servilely.