variants
or grovelling
1
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
variants
or grovelling
as in fawning
Related Words
Dissimilar 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
FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Continue reading … POINTING FINGERS – Former vice president accuses newspaper owners of 'groveling' to Trump in new book.
—FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for groveling
Verb
-
Ross passed the day's examination with flying colors – barely flinching at the rubber chicken.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Skubal, apparently flinching with the noise, balked for only the second time in his career.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Tropical Storm Melissa is crawling through the Caribbean Sea, threatening to unleash life-threatening flooding and mudslides across parts of the region later this week.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
-
These flat robots have multiple modes of movement, capable of jumping or crawling at multiple speeds.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Americans are recoiling from the Democratic Party, and even in blue states like Colorado, Democrats are feeling the burn.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
-
And the supporters who responded to his complaints about overzealous Democrats aren’t recoiling.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Twin Cities,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Marchenko kept the heat on by stealing a page from Johnson’s book of tricks, sliding it through Silovs’ pads.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The junior made his moment count, taking the carry all the way home before sliding in the end zone.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Western leaders have sought to paper over these inconvenient truths, including at their June G-7 and NATO summits, with obsequious efforts to flatter, humor, and cajole Trump.—
Stewart Patrick,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Von der Leyen did not appear obsequious in her meeting with Trump.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
Lily, meanwhile, was found cowering beside the couch, with the guiltiest of expressions on her face.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
-
There is a cowering quality to her body, even her voice.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Trosch also ruled the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy could testify about the findings, but would not be allowed to speculate on if Scott Brooks was in a crouching position when he was shot.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Oct. 2025
-
In the nearly two-minute preview, fans get a glimpse at how present her now-fiancé was behind the scenes, at one point crouching underneath the stage and grinning wide as the pop star bends down and kisses him on the cheek.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
-
His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Groveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/groveling. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share