as in obsequious
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as in sycophancy
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Dissimilar Words
as in fussing
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
a student who could not wait to fawn over the new teacher
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fawning
Sarah Scott, Parents, 25 Aug. 2025
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Infantino’s gesture might strike people unacquainted with World Cup history as shamelessly fawning.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
With the Republican Congress fawning at his feet, the ideal of democracy that the will of the people governs the nation is being buried under multimedia waves of the autocratic ambition of wealth.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
The world has gotten a glimpse of the fawning, skeezy shamelessness of his famous hangers-on, but not enough to criminally implicate them.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Carolyn is not given to fawning or ass-kissing — only hours before meeting John, Carolyn advises her friend that the best way to get a guy’s attention is to ignore him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Beyoncé's Botticelli-esque waves are defined with ribbons of golden highlights that had audiences fawning.
—Audrey Noble, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
The flattery must forever escalate and grow more fawning, until every follower’s dignity is shorn away.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
And Williams and Storrie, the show’s stars, have become one of Hollywood’s favorite duos, with even fellow celebrities fawning over them.
—Natalie Bennett, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
According to Gaiani, drinking or using drugs before social situations is a major sign that your teen may be using alcohol to cope with fawning and to feel more comfortable or confident.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
And if fawning over flora is your thing, a new report by online casino Spinblitz might inspire you to book a getaway.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Infantino’s gesture might strike people unacquainted with World Cup history as shamelessly fawning.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
With the Republican Congress fawning at his feet, the ideal of democracy that the will of the people governs the nation is being buried under multimedia waves of the autocratic ambition of wealth.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
The world has gotten a glimpse of the fawning, skeezy shamelessness of his famous hangers-on, but not enough to criminally implicate them.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Carolyn is not given to fawning or ass-kissing — only hours before meeting John, Carolyn advises her friend that the best way to get a guy’s attention is to ignore him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Beyoncé's Botticelli-esque waves are defined with ribbons of golden highlights that had audiences fawning.
—Audrey Noble, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
The flattery must forever escalate and grow more fawning, until every follower’s dignity is shorn away.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
And Williams and Storrie, the show’s stars, have become one of Hollywood’s favorite duos, with even fellow celebrities fawning over them.
—Natalie Bennett, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fawning
Adjective
-
The staff is wonderfully friendly and casual, providing seamless service without being obsequious.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The millennial-Gen Z generational divide, both sides fighting over scraps of a shrinking pie while still in smiling, obsequious service to aging boomers, is an enticing hook made more so by meta casting.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The second is that chatbots, which mimic emotional intimacy and tend toward sycophancy, warp how children forge their selfhood and relationships.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The result has been something like an inverse caricature of Republican complaints about diversity, equity, and inclusion, a system in which the incompetent rise not because of their abilities but because of their sycophancy.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Your son is fussing in his car seat.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That this man’s-man tough guy becomes utterly servile in the presence of a bunch of slack-casual bazillionaires is the cherry on top of the fascist sundae.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Julia was the first weekly TV series that starred a Black woman in a role that wasn't servile.—
Starr Rocque,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And this is where the Heat lose me, this adoration of a basketball player who is a very good player as opposed to a great player.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
It's called assassination by adoration.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Predators respond with head shaking, gaping, drooling, and frantic licking.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Apr. 2026
-
But Cremily won over teams and venues with a story worth drooling over.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While many of the building’s original features—including the soaring stucco ceilings decorated with a sun motif - have been preserved, the look and feel are more 21st-century magpie than slavish historical reverence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Hence the slavish social media posting, the manic email checking, the constant baked goods craving.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Another amendment adopted to the bill sought to address multiuser accounts, chiefly by having parental and subordinate accounts.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The White House declined to comment on the allegations against former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who stepped down last week after multiple allegations of abusing her position’s power, including having an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job.—
Ana Ceballos
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fawning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fawning. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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