brownie points

1. Credit for a good deed, as in John earned a lot of brownie points for doing his boss's report for him. The term originated with the points earned for various achievements by the youngest group of the Girl Scouts, called Brownies. In the mid-1900s it was transferred to general use.

Example Sentences

Another Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell, no doubt won brownie points on Wednesday for saying, when asked about the inspector general’s finding on Hegseth’s security violation, “This Signal narrative is so old and worn out it’s starting to resemble Joe Biden’s mental state.”

From Slate

While this move earned him brownie points with citizens, his public outburst did him no favours and he was axed barely a year into the job and shunted back into obscurity for a number of years.

From BBC

In a snark-filled op-ed for the Daily Beast, the site’s Chief Creative and Content Officer Joanna Coles evoked DEI initiatives, implying that the theme was chosen by Bolton, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and the Met’s director for brownie points in what they thought would be a sure win for Harris.

From Salon

His government would not be the first to be swept away by the intensity and glamour of global diplomacy which, however difficult or worthy, doesn't necessarily translate into significant brownie points at home.

From BBC

But the troops offer may gain Sir Keir some diplomatic brownie points in the West Wing.

From BBC