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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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
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The crime went unsolved for many years, prompting Mason to start making this movie in the early 2000s, and the immediate conclusion to jump to is that the LAPD maybe wasn’t too fussed about it.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
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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Chase Reid, meanwhile, just put together a better-than-point-per-game season in the OHL and has the loud tools — the escapability and skating speed in particular — that have NHL scouts positively drooling.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Predators respond with head shaking, gaping, drooling, and frantic licking.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Apr. 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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David Feineman, Broomfield To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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The application documents also note that, in July 2024, the Zoning Board approved an application submitted by Wheelers Farm Partners, LLC, and Greenview Equities, LLC, the owners of 470-488 Wheelers Farm Road, which is the 47-acre office park.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Bondi fawned over Trump in a way unbefitting the nation’s chief law-enforcement officer.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kowtow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kowtow. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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