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name-dropping

American

[neym-drop-ing] / ˈneɪmˌdrɒp ɪŋ /

noun

the introduction into one's conversation, letters, etc., of the names of famous or important people as alleged friends or associates in order to impress others.

name-dropping British

noun

informal the practice of referring frequently to famous or fashionable people, esp as though they were intimate friends, in order to impress others

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

name-dropper noun

Etymology

Origin of name-dropping

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He's even been name-dropping experimental Manchester act Durutti Column, known more for instrumental guitar music than stadium-conquering chart hits.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

The conversation consisted of him endlessly name-dropping and asking zero questions about me.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2025

The bad news is, and this is funny — I’m name-dropping — but David Coverdale texts me funny things all the time; I’ve been friends with him a long time.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024

The name-dropping may well continue when cross-examination continues Friday.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 25, 2024

I can’t mention anything about this town without Ella name-dropping someone she knows.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023