Synonym Chooser

How is the word truckle distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of truckle are cower, cringe, fawn, and toady. While all these words mean "to behave abjectly before a superior," truckle implies the subordination of oneself and one's desires or judgment to those of a superior.

truckling to a powerful lobbyist

When would cower be a good substitute for truckle?

While in some cases nearly identical to truckle, cower suggests a display of abject fear in the company of threatening or domineering people.

cowering before a bully

When is cringe a more appropriate choice than truckle?

While the synonyms cringe and truckle are close in meaning, cringe suggests a bowing or shrinking in fear or servility.

a cringing sycophant

When is it sensible to use fawn instead of truckle?

The words fawn and truckle can be used in similar contexts, but fawn implies seeking favor by servile flattery or exaggerated attention.

waiters fawning over a celebrity

When might toady be a better fit than truckle?

The words toady and truckle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, toady suggests the attempt to ingratiate oneself by an abjectly menial or subservient attitude.

toadying to his boss

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 truckle Unless Trump’s art of the deal is all about truckling to Putin. Maureen Dowd, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025 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 Garbarino enjoyed his time with the Southern river rats and mountain folk, and their refusal to truckle to authority delights him to this day. David Samuels, Town & Country, 18 Oct. 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truckle
Verb
  • This was the mid 1980s and tandem skydiving hadn’t been popularized yet, so his father, Roger, adjusted accordingly by stuffing carpet padding into the leg pads to stop him from fussing.
    Angelina Liu, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Inside, Seán glanced briefly away from the television as the women fussed at Orla’s return.
    Anne Enright, New Yorker, 27 July 2025
Verb
  • The secretary accused the AAP of kowtowing to corporate benefactors while ignoring the clear evidence that such vaccines are safe for children and can prevent serious illness.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Now, Republican candidates trip over themselves in displays of public faith to kowtow to the hardcore base that sees the show as a substitute for substance.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But this newsletter is more focused on how Trump and his fawning functionaries speak about and for him.
    Chris Brennan, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Their Instagram announcement—a carousel of the couple's lavish garden engagement photoshoot—has been liked more than 35 million times since it was posted on August 26, with Swifties around the world fawning over the singer's gigantic ring.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • The only other psychological need that rivals his thirst for toadying is the pursuit of .
    Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Symptoms may begin within minutes, which include heavy drooling—especially in cats—and redness on the skin and in or around the mouth.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
  • On day eight of his partial paralysis, Nini finally stopped drooling and could now walk gingerly.
    Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Those who delay this fate the longest are bootlicking mediocrities — the survival of the sycophants.
    Michael Gerson, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Mar. 2018

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Cite this Entry

“Truckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truckle. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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