grovel
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Absolutely, but Colin is eager to please and genuinely loves to grovel.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2025
If they failed to adequately grovel and praise him, he punished their states by delaying the needed supplies and publicly derided them as incompetent.
From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2025
On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul made Suozzi drive to Albany to all but grovel for her support.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 8, 2023
Elrond isn’t the only elf who has to grovel among the rabble in this episode.
From New York Times ● Sep. 23, 2022
She would be abject, she would cling and grovel.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Instead of mandating, directing, or using the word “shall,” the code grovels before its own authors, flattering them with meek suggestions that justices “should,” “should not” and might “endeavor to” act in certain ways.
From Salon ● Nov. 24, 2023
It’s easy for an ego like his to grow wings and fly when, even as a washed-up quarterback, an NFL coach grovels for your services.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 9, 2022
“Everyone grovels to Graydon and other writers there and covets invitations to their parties,” said Leslee Dart, a publicist whose clients include Tom Hanks, Woody Allen and Meryl Streep.
From New York Times ● Sep. 9, 2013
"To Entertain a Small Hope That Might Allay My Heartache" features a letter in which Kemal grovels, still in its envelope.
From New York Times ● Oct. 4, 2012
It is not Woman leaves us to our night, But our brute earth that grovels from her sun.
From The Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell by James Russell Lowell
For exactly a quarter of a century, I’ve grasped and groveled and guessed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2025
Franchises, of course, have always pandered — it’s in their D.N.A. — but rarely has one groveled quite so thirstily for fan approval.
From New York Times ● Jan. 13, 2022
So you can see why there’s a widespread sense of disgust at the way leaders have groveled before Jeff Bezos.
From Slate ● Nov. 15, 2018
He groveled, and then hedged, then tried to walk it all back with the absurdly laughable claim that he confused the word “would” for “wouldn’t”.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 22, 2018
He groveled on his belly and came up to her smiling, head lowered humbly.
From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George
It quotes: "Even if he grovelled to us on his knees, it wouldn't be enough."
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Months later, upon seeing how quickly Dubai had sprawled outwards, he returned to court and grovelled.
From The Guardian ● May 16, 2016
"I really didn't mean to imply Becky had failed in any way," she later grovelled.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 4, 2012
Less than three months after their foolish decision, Coke’s bosses grovelled to customers and reintroduced classic Coke.
From Economist ● Mar. 29, 2012
He grovelled on the ground and could speak no clear words but nice master.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
In groveling posts online, Ms. Gann affirmed she’s a pale-skin-ian, not a Palestinian, calling herself a “white woman of significant privilege and wealth” who deceived everyone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
They want illiterate, groveling serfs, who live in fear and don’t stick around too long.
From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2025
Portnoy’s deal-with-it stance, and the groveling he expected and received from even his former workers, reminded me of another mogul who recently came into possession of a media property of much fascination: Elon Musk.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2023
In the heartstopping series finale of “Succession” on Sunday night, striving Midwesterner Tom Wambsgans was named chief executive of Waystar Royco, completing his transformation from groveling buffoon to business titan.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2023
Not only would that be groveling, it probably wouldn’t achieve the desired effect; Dana would still hassle him without mercy.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
A K-pop star has issued a grovelling apology after incensed fans accused her of "betrayal" - because she has a boyfriend.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2024
"Trying to run around with your hand outstretched, grovelling, begging for money, is pointless," Putin said in a televised address to Russia's political, military and business elite.
From Reuters ● Feb. 21, 2023
But its immediate collapse ended hopes of those new sources of income and forced the Glazers and FSG to make grovelling apologies to fans.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 27, 2022
This he said fatherly in his love, kissing my hands and grovelling at my feet; and with tears he named me, not daughter, but lady.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2019
His eyes smouldered with anger, but he could not avenge himself: his miserable enemy lay grovelling on the stones whimpering.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
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