as in fussing
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in subordinate
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kowtowing
Adjective
-
These institutions provide checks and balances in a way that would almost seem to draw on American traditions of government — with the profound difference that all institutions in Iran are ultimately subordinate to just one power, Khamenei's.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
25 June 2025 -
Columban monasteries remained free of the control of local bishops and were instead directly subordinate to the pope.—
Bernd Roeck
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2025
-
Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Softening the strongman The film starts with the loyal and somewhat obsequious journalist Pavel Zarubin interviewing Putin at the end of his long working day in the Kremlin, at 1:30 a.m.—
Peter Rutland,
The Conversation,
9 May 2025
-
At 11:30, as the simultaneously pompous and obsequious gate agent announces the passengers above gold status, the bit, already tilting toward insanity, leaves any attempt to portray a real airport behind and dives fully into Alice in Wonderland–level surrealism.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
It will not be subservient to the prime minister—or to any one person.—
HARTOSH SINGH BAL,
Foreign Affairs,
30 June 2025
-
Latinas of all backgrounds have endured being typecast as a slutty Maria or subservient Lupe.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
The film’s slavish dedication to its source material — the challenging of which would open its own can of worms — demands ignoring all potential complexity in favor of didactic conclusions.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
19 June 2025
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The Red Sox organization’s slavish devotion to analytics has a downside, Lynn said.—
Bill Speros,
Boston Herald,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
The scale asks whether a respondent tends to prefer children who are obedient, well behaved and well mannered or children who are independent, creative and considerate.—
Adam Eichen,
The Conversation,
11 June 2025
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Those who tend to favor obedient children are scored as having more authoritarian views.—
Adam Eichen,
The Conversation,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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But while the Internet is torn over whether Carpenter’s submissive position on the Man’s Best Friend cover is funny or degrading, Whoopi Goldberg was more concerned with something else.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
12 June 2025
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By contrast, a beta is supposedly weak and submissive—a follower.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Moreover, the website adds that these animals are usually quite docile in nature and are generally not known to attack humans.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 June 2025
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This was a bird so docile and unafraid of environmental threats it was hunted out of existence in less than 100 years.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Kowtowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kowtowing. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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