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
The bigger question is whether Ratner’s proximity to power will compel an industry already willing to kowtow to the president to officially welcome Ratner back.
—
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
But Thibodeau was never interested in being Tony La Russa and kowtowing to Reinsdorf or the management team of Gar Forman and John Paxson.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Two years ago, she got fired from her $196,551 hack sinecure at the Cannabis Control Commission for not sufficiently kowtowing to the woke mob.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
According to Filomeno Aguilar, Jr, once the Europeans were gone, the hacenderos kowtowed to the Americans, offering the island as a protectorate in the hopes of securing favorable access to the lucrative US market for their sugar.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kowtow
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
But Thibodeau was never interested in being Tony La Russa and kowtowing to Reinsdorf or the management team of Gar Forman and John Paxson.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Two years ago, she got fired from her $196,551 hack sinecure at the Cannabis Control Commission for not sufficiently kowtowing to the woke mob.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
According to Filomeno Aguilar, Jr, once the Europeans were gone, the hacenderos kowtowed to the Americans, offering the island as a protectorate in the hopes of securing favorable access to the lucrative US market for their sugar.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kowtow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kowtow
Verb
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Need to put a filling dinner on the table, but don't have a lot of time to fuss?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
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Ever the dedicated mother, Stacy runs to her adult daughter’s aid, fussing at her for not using a driver for her errands.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Empire was a sinister, one-note shadow: faceless Storm Troopers, toadying fascistic generals, a cackling emperor, and of course Darth Vader, an enigmatic demon masked and cloaked in black.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
25 Apr. 2025
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The only other psychological need that rivals his thirst for toadying is the pursuit of .—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In the other room, Kayda is entertaining Bryce and Zach, who are openly drooling, and the scene could not look more like Challengers if Zendaya were playing Kayda.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
4 June 2026
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This plant, also known as rose bay, may also cause drooling, abdominal pain, depression, colic and even death, according to the ASPCA.—
Amy DeYoung,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Unless Trump’s art of the deal is all about truckling to Putin.—
Maureen Dowd,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
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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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Its mission was to upset hierarchies, not reinforce them, and few things were more offensive to comedians than bootlicking.—
Robert Lynch,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Call it the bootlicking trickle-down-effect.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Known for posting covers of American radio hits in front of a green screen, Magdum submitted his petition for an O-1 nonimmigrant visa and was met with a request for evidence (RFE), an official notice stating that his application needed clarification before a final decision can be made.—
Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos DeGruccio,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
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The relocation process would involve the Bears submitting a statement of facts to the league.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The service Like pretty much everything at this hotel, the service is both smart and discreet—not fawning, but preemptive and always on alert.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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And yet art-world institutions—including major museums, schools, commercial galleries, and publishing outlets—have mostly avoided the fawning capitulation of universities and Democrats, simply going quiet in the hope of escaping notice for the next three years.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kowtow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kowtow. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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