groveling 1 of 2

variants or grovelling

groveling

2 of 2

verb

variants or grovelling
present participle of grovel
1
as in cringing
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

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 groveling
Verb
Abject, groveling apologies to Moss and everybody on the longevity team! Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 Cue the fine and the groveling league apology. Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for groveling
Adjective
  • To cede all of that ground to the executive, and to do so in such an obsequious way, is shameful.
    KEN BURNS, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
  • The staff is wonderfully friendly and casual, providing seamless service without being obsequious.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • More comics journalism from Life Kit Still cringing about that awkward moment?
    Andee Tagle, NPR, 25 May 2026
  • Try and get through this one without cringing.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Add a Physical Barrier Since ticks prefer to hide in grass and other plants and brush, adding a non-plant barrier like wood chips or gravel can stop ticks from ever crawling into your yard.
    Heather Bien, The Spruce, 23 June 2026
  • The video shows an officer tumbling on the ground, crawling in front of a parked car for cover and ultimately becoming fully prone.
    Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, Trump takes servile flattery as his due.
    Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
  • Of course, all of this convenient acquiescence will sound familiar in the United States, where our own Congress and Department of Justice have been nothing if not servile to a brazenly corrupt executive.
    Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Cole agreed, but did do some flinching.
    Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026
  • Without flinching, the two plunged into the waves to rescue the woman.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Best Prime Day Matching Sets for Summer Summer temperatures are already creeping in, serving as a friendly reminder that pants aren’t always a fit for June.
    Annie Blackman, InStyle, 22 June 2026
  • Humidity starts creeping back up on Thursday.
    Cutter Martin, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • Like all other generative chatbots, its replies are sycophantic.
    Jill Duffy, PC Magazine, 17 June 2026
  • In an interview with Mostly Human spotted by MacRumors, Craig Federighi said Apple’s new Siri won’t act all sycophantic like chatbots made by OpenAI, Google, and others.
    Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd said Minnesota was considering selecting Duke wing Isaiah Evans with the 28th pick in this week’s NBA Draft, prior to the Wolves sliding back five selections due to the Julius Randle trade.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 June 2026
  • Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Groveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/groveling. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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