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Glite Dictionary
to grovel

to grovel

42 7.4
Behave like you are begging or crawling to get someone's forgiveness
  • verb
  • /ˈɡrɒvəl/
translation icon : humillarse
  • He was forced to grovel for forgiveness after his harsh words upset her.
  • grovel and beg
  • grovel at someone's feet
  • grovel and plead

And AI will learn to apologize and grovel and praise and fluff and compliment.

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Examples

  • I suppose I'm going to have to grovel and beg his forgiveness for Sarah and Gail Night.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • You must grovel at her feet.

    Spartacus (1960)

  • I could see I was in, so if they wanted me to grovel, all right, I would grovel.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • I run inside prepared to grovel, but it's only Mr. A.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • To grovel publicly before his authority?

    Cleopatra (1963)

  • You are a political animal, and for the sake of your pension, I suggest that you grovel.

    The Black Dahlia (2006)

  • I have spent years groveling to you.

    Violent Night (2022)

  • I was groveling in fear at the time.

    Demolition Man (1993)

  • And Quatermain will be groveling at my feet.

    King Solomon's Mines (1985)

  • Don't grovel.

    S1m0ne (2002)

Synonyms

to crawl
vsto grovel
90 7.0

To act too humbly to try to please someone

is done from fear to seek forgiveness by lying or moving on the ground
to fawn
vsto grovel
25 7.7

Act very friendly and praise someone to gain their favor

is more about fearful, humiliating submission than flattering behavior
to kowtow
vsto grovel
12 9.2

To behave very obediently to please a person in power

is more physical and fear driven, often lowering oneself to beg forgiveness
to kowtow to
vsto grovel
9 8.9

To show too much respect and obedience to someone in power

is more about fearful, humiliating lowering to gain forgiveness rather than obedience
to bow and scrape
vsto grovel
  • Archaic
3 9.4

Behave too politely and humbly to please someone

is usually more about fear and physical lowering than polite gestures
to bend the knee
vsto grovel
1 8.4

To show loyalty and obey a powerful person

is more degrading and often physical, done from fear to seek forgiveness

Antonyms

to stand up
293 3.2

To defend yourself when someone treats you unfairly

to assert
229 3.9

To clearly and firmly say your needs or opinions

How Submissive

to prostrate
6 8.1
to grovel
42 7.4
to bow
132 1.7
to submit
187 4.1
to comply
332 3.8

Surface Forms

grovel infinitive
groveled past
groveled past participle
groveling present participle
grovels third person singular

Etymology

Grovel comes from old words meaning 'to crawl' or 'to lie on the ground'. So to grovel today is to act very humble or afraid, almost like crawling to get someone's forgiveness or favor.