as in to fuss
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
you can try kowtowing to the boss, but he'll see right through you
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Recent Examples of kowtow
Furthermore, the other side is -- is kowtowing, is doing what the fossil fuel industry wants to do.
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ABC News, 23 June 2024
Franklin could have kowtowed to this member and attempted to win him over with flattery.
—Eric Weiner, TIME, 11 June 2024
The charismatic political newcomer, an Israeli immigrant with roots in Ethiopia, accused her Democratic rival of kowtowing to the progressive squad and looking the other way from the surge of undocumented immigrants crossing from Mexico.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2024
In New York, some students and faculty members complained that university leaders had largely kowtowed to a Congress whose insistent questioning helped fuel the recent resignations by the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
—Alan Blinder, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kowtow 
ABC News, 23 June 2024
Franklin could have kowtowed to this member and attempted to win him over with flattery.
—Eric Weiner, TIME, 11 June 2024
The charismatic political newcomer, an Israeli immigrant with roots in Ethiopia, accused her Democratic rival of kowtowing to the progressive squad and looking the other way from the surge of undocumented immigrants crossing from Mexico.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2024
In New York, some students and faculty members complained that university leaders had largely kowtowed to a Congress whose insistent questioning helped fuel the recent resignations by the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
—Alan Blinder, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kowtow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kowtow
Verb
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Not all Cybertruck owners will be too fussed about that, though.Carlton Reid, WIRED, 25 Nov. 2024
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The gizmo also includes haptic alerts that can wake you—but not your partner—if your child is fussing.Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Hamlet’s toadying friends, the hangers-on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are Izzard’s own talking hands, popping up to face her like a pair of Muppets.Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2024
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This is the aspect of his production that made his reputation but is sometimes denigrated as superficial and toadying.Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023
Verb
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But the saucier iterations are what viewers are drooling over on TikTok.Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
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If ingested in large amounts, the sap can cause vomiting, drooling or diarrhea.Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Garbarino enjoyed his time with the Southern river rats and mountain folk, and their refusal to truckle to authority delights him to this day.David Samuels, Town & Country, 18 Oct. 2013
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During the campaign, most of Trump’s fallen rivals blasted him in exceptional terms—before truckling to support him against Hillary Clinton.James Fallows, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2017
Verb
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Following the settlement, which came just days after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid ordered the president-elect and Stephanopoulos to submit to four-hour depositions, ABC News is facing backlash from both sides of the aisle.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
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To prepare for the arrival of a guest with disabilities, the line asks for a Special Requirements Information Form to be submitted 45 days prior to embarkation.David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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And this year's styles include cardigans, turtlenecks, and crewnecks that are easy to fawn over.Michelle Rostamian, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
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Throughout his presidency, Trump fawned over such dictators.Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Kowtow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kowtow. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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