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 Here the adult narrator creates an atmosphere closer to Schulz’s erotic drawings, obsessively filled with images of the artist himself groveling at the feet of lithe young women. — Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 12 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for grovel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grovel

Verb

So when there was a kissing scene, Larry cringed, just cringed.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
For tips on how to stop cringing about an awkward moment, read our comic.

— Malaka Gharib, NPR, 18 July 2026

Definition of cringe

Verb

In fact, agents are better equipped to do this than LLMs, as they can be configured more accurately to crawl certain sites or sources and therefore return more accurate results.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Their mother had crawled, wounded, on the floor before the brothers fired a final, fatal blast.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of crawl

Verb

The estate sprawls across 77 acres of pastoral tranquility, with trails snaking through the woods, oak trees towering over lawns, and birdsong filling the air.

— Brian Cicioni, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2026
But the real action was in line for the Breen meet and greet, which snaked across the lobby of the Regal’s mezzanine level after the second screening.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of snake

Verb

The gargantuan nose tackle slid down the 2025 draft chutes over a nagging back problem the University of Kentucky declined to shut down.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
As with the entry foyer, multiple large windows effectively create a wall of glass overlooking the view, while sliding glass doors provide easy access to a rear deck that spans the rear of the home.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of slide

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grove

grovel

groveled

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Style

“Grovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grovel. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grovel

verb

Example Sentences

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