to kowtow to

Examples

• All

• I had to subvert my principles and kowtow to an idiot.

  Trust (1990)

• I chose to succeed on my own terms, not kowtow to some controlling family.

  Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)

• I'm not kowtowing to Washington or anyone else.

  The Aviator (2004)

• He will not kowtow to the far left of his own party.

  Club Random Podcast

• Peter is cautious, a conformist who, as mayor of his town, kowtows to the rich.

  Blog text (29)

• When the crew was eventually released, an outraged Chinese public accused the government of weakness and kowtowing to the West.

  Academic text (2008)

• Women are fifty-one percent of the population; why would you kowtow to those who keep trying to disenfranchise them?

  Blog text (32)

• The days of putting Americans last, of kowtowing to large corporations, of caving to woke ideology are over.

  I've Had It

• I think citizens want politicians who actually represent them/us, the 99%, and stop kowtowing to the 1%.

  Blog text (15)

• If not for patriots like Rep. Burgess, we would soon be kowtowing to government mandates.

  Blog text (27)

Synonyms

B

to bow

vsto kowtow to

127 6.3

To give in to another person's wishes or demands

is more extreme and servile rather than simple yielding

B

to bow down

vsto kowtow to

30 3.7

Lower your head or body to show respect, often as a sign that you obey someone

is about extreme submissive behaviour rather than only a gesture

K

to kowtow

vsto kowtow to

12 9.2

To behave very obediently to please a person in power

is the same meaning but often used with a following object

K

to knuckle under

vsto kowtow to

• Informal

4 8.4

To give in to pressure or someone in charge even if you do not want to

expresses willing, excessive obedience rather than reluctant yielding

B

to bow and scrape

vsto kowtow to

• Archaic

3 9.4

Behave too politely and humbly to please someone

is similar but stresses servile respect rather than approval seeking

T

to toady

vsto kowtow to

1 9.1

Flatter and obey someone in power to get their favor

is broader, focusing on excessive obedience rather than flattery

B

to bend the knee

vsto kowtow to

1 8.4

To show loyalty and obey a powerful person

is about ongoing servile behaviour rather than a single gesture

B

to bend to someone's will

vsto kowtow to

7.1

To do what someone else wants even if you do not want to

is more servile and excessive than mere giving in

Antonyms

O

to oppose

∞ 2.9

To be against something and try to stop it

D

to defy

178 3.7

Openly refuse to obey someone or seem to resist a force like time

How Submissive

to grovel

42 7.4

to kowtow to

9 8.9

to defer

• Formal

36 6.2

yielding

4.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology