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:
After the commissioner makes this conceited Yank grovel, Marty simply replies, “It’s every man for himself where I come from.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 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
A Syracuse University dean performed a similar grovel for the same offense.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 21, 2022
He refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing him grovel.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
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
Kichijiro, who enters grunting and twitching, as if in homage to Toshiro Mifune, and grovels at the priest’s feet, also seems on hand as much for comic relief as for guidance.
From New York Times ● Dec. 22, 2016
“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
There is a tallow-merchant, who to-day grovels in hides and tallow, but to-morrow will probably—oh, free and happy England!—soar to a seat in the Cabinet.
From Doctor Cupid by Rhoda Broughton
For exactly a quarter of a century, I’ve grasped and groveled and guessed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2025
“Blonde” wants you to believe that one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons was a haunted, hated sad sack who cried, screamed and groveled her way through film history.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 2022
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
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
There’s not an artist out there who hasn’t grovelled on the path to greatness, and getting through school isn’t an impediment to a musical career but a platform to build one on.
From The Guardian ● May 21, 2017
"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
As per Margaret Hartmann with New York Magazine's Intelligencer, the gift is "peak spineless groveling."
From Salon ● Jan. 15, 2025
Kruse told told the audience that the Black men who joined the Union Army were “not groveling for inclusion” but actively chose to fight.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
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
I wish the six hundred Link Rowley worshippers in this school could see their Big Man on Campus practically groveling with gratitude.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
"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
He told his mother at the time, who got a "grovelling apology" before it was "hushed up".
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2022
And there is Orson Welles as Falstaff, and Falstaff is grovelling for Henry V. He’s banished.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 28, 2019
“He’s harmless, mei baas,” Granny went on in the most grovelling of voices.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Vocabulary lists containing grovel
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam
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