groveling 1 of 2

adjective

variants or grovelling
Definition of grovelingnext
as in fawning

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

groveling

2 of 2

verb

variants or grovelling
present participle of grovel
1
as in flinching
to draw back or crouch down in fearful submission the way in which the abused dog would grovel whenever its owner came near

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in crawling
to move slowly with the body close to the ground because of their anatomy, bats can only grovel while moving along the ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for groveling
  1. obsequious
  2. servile
  3. cowering
  4. crouching
  5. sycophantic
  6. slithering
  7. subservient
  8. worshipful
Adjective
  • Listen to this article Mayor Michelle Wu, just a week after what her obsequious supporters hailed as a virtuoso performance before a hostile congressional oversight panel, finds herself suddenly under a harsh federal microscope.
    — Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Many, if not most, of these figures earned Trump’s loyalty by using their platforms to be obsequious stewards of MAGA—in effect, creating a quasi–state media.
    — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of obsequious
Adjective
  • So Alex dons a uniform, buses tables and engages in servile labor for the first time in her life.
    — Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Trump’s servile devotion to Putin becomes the new norm overnight as Republicans cower in support of Trump’s new Putin policy.
    — Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of servile
Verb
  • The staff member can be seen cowering down to fend off the attack and then turns and squares up to the irate passenger, who’s wearing a green colored top and army green pants.
    — Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 29 Nov. 2024
  • The trauma of war is ever-present in Honda's vision, which sees citizens fleeing for their lives and cowering in the rubble of their homes.
    — Katie Rife, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
Definition of cowering
Verb
  • Excavations unearthed priceless statues and reliefs, including depictions of crouching lions and a youthful male figure.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Dec. 2024
  • This may include defensive movements or acting submissively—tucking their tail between their legs, lowering their eyes or crouching to appear smaller.
    — Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of crouching
Adjective
  • This isn't meant to be some sycophantic bowing of the head to Trump and his MAGA movement, but rather a statement of fact.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Already, and despite its shortfalls such as hallucinations – when chatbots make up inexistent facts, and sycophantic behavior – when the bot gives a particular answer to elicit the user’s approval, AI has been shown to outperform CEO’s on a range of tasks.
    — Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of sycophantic
Verb
  • Employees of a store in the Aloha State were in for a slithering surprise after a two-foot snake was found inside a shipping container of Christmas trees sent to the island.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 22 Nov. 2024
  • The world's largest slithering snake is sure to send a tingle down your spine.
    — Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 12 Nov. 2024
Definition of slithering
Adjective
  • More importantly to the court proceedings that would follow in later decades, the group stressed that women are subservient to men, a belief that William wholeheartedly embraced, his ex-wife says.
    — Justin Wingerter, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025
  • So essentially, Hera takes this subservient position as a compromise to keep reality from crumbling.
    — Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 12 Feb. 2025
Definition of subservient
Adjective
  • The secret in the biscuits is the pairing of cheddar with bacon, with the overall result being worshipful thanks from those who are lucky enough to partake.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Her chef and housekeeper, Bruna (Alba Rohrwacher), is timid and worshipful but able to take quietly decisive action when necessary.
    — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
Definition of worshipful
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

grovelers
groveling
grovels
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Cite this Entry

“Groveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/groveling. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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