Thesaurus results for GROVEL

grovel

verb

ˈgrä-vᵊl

Definition of grovel

as in to cringe

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

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as in to crawl

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

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.

Recent Examples of grovel Political courage is needed, especially from the cowardly, groveling Congress. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026 That’s the saddest cash-grab gimmick ever, groveling for Dubai dollars. — Sports Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Jan. 2026 The stringent businessman makes Marty suffer and grovel for his money, at one point exerting his power by spanking the young man’s bare bottom with a wooden ping-pong paddle. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025 Rather than wait it out until January 2029, when magical thinking assumes the current transatlantic nightmare will come to an end, the EU needs to stop groveling and build greater sovereignty. — Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grovel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grovel

Verb

For tips on how to stop cringing about an awkward moment, read our comic.

— Malaka Gharib, NPR, 18 July 2026
Sight and sound are the two senses that dominate any media-watching experience, and bad audio is enough to make your guests cringe and politely decline your next watch-party invitation.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 16 July 2026

Definition of cringe

Verb

Tents As a teenager, crawling into a small A-frame tent was a rite of passage.

— Clay Abney, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026
With fervent editing, careful scene geography, and assured direction, the walk before the run can be tense enough to send viewers crawling out of their seats, willing the fugitive onscreen to get a move on already.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Definition of crawl

Verb

Purists might flinch, but the approach works brilliantly in context, as Nolan — perhaps taking permission from Emily Wilson’s prose-like translation — strips away anything that might interfere with the rough-and-ready immersiveness of his spectacle.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
The judge appeared to flinch while watching footage of the killing.

— Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026

Definition of flinch

Verb

On a moonless night, that Alpha team crept silently from the statue’s belly and wrenched open the gates of Troy, decisively ending the war in their favor.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
They’re concentrated in the Southeast, but lone star ticks have been making their way north and creeping in from the coasts.

— Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of creep

Verb

The other customers cowered in the corners, while crowds formed at the windows outside, shrieking and recording the scene on their phones.

— Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Democracies are composed of citizens with free will, not subjects cowering at the feet of rulers.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026

Definition of cower

Verb

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Nick DiSalvo’s plaintive vocals and snaking riffs can gently suggest thoughtful indie rock or tense up to show off more doom-adjacent roots.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 July 2026
Food trucks reopened after the storm and long lines snaked around the vendor area.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Definition of snake

Verb

The Real Madrid star played a give-and-go with captain Harry Kane and received the ball back in the center of the box, sliding it past the Mexican keeper and into the back of the net for a shock 2-0 lead that came in all of two minutes.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 July 2026

Definition of slide

Browse Nearby Words

grove

grovel

groveled

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“Grovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grovel. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of grovel

verb

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