Meaning & use
namedropper
Last updated
UK/ˈneɪmdrɒpə/
US/ˈneɪmdrɑːpər/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.
Meaning
nouncountabledisapprovinginformal
A person who often mentions famous people they know in order to seem important.
Grammar: Countable: a namedropper, two namedroppers.
Patterns
- a bit of a namedropper
- call someone a namedropper
He's such a namedropper that every story ends with a celebrity's name.
She came across as a namedropper at the party, mentioning three actors in five minutes.
Don't be a namedropper; people notice when you are only trying to impress them.
Word forms
| plural | namedroppers |
|---|
Common combinations
- a terrible namedropper
- My uncle is a terrible namedropper whenever politics comes up.
- come across as a namedropper
- He came across as a namedropper during the interview.
- sound like a namedropper
- If you keep saying 'my friend the senator', you'll sound like a namedropper.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- namedrop verb
- To mention famous people in order to impress others.
- namedropping noun
- The habit of mentioning famous names to seem important.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'namedropper' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A namedropper mentions famous people to impress others, so option 0 fits. The other options describe remembering or recording names, which is a different idea.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “namedropper”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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