Thesaurus results for GROVEL

grovel

verb

ˈgrä-vᵊl

Definition of grovel

as in to cringe

to draw back or crouch down in fearful submission the way in which the abused dog would grovel whenever its owner came near

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to crawl

to move slowly with the body close to the ground because of their anatomy, bats can only grovel while moving along the ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of grovel The stringent businessman makes Marty suffer and grovel for his money, at one point exerting his power by spanking the young man’s bare bottom with a wooden ping-pong paddle. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025 Here the adult narrator creates an atmosphere closer to Schulz’s erotic drawings, obsessively filled with images of the artist himself groveling at the feet of lithe young women. — Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 12 Feb. 2026 Political courage is needed, especially from the cowardly, groveling Congress. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026 Rather than wait it out until January 2029, when magical thinking assumes the current transatlantic nightmare will come to an end, the EU needs to stop groveling and build greater sovereignty. — Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grovel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grovel

Verb

This Father's Day, break out these silly (and slightly cringe-y) one-liners, puns, riddles, and jokes.

— Jamie Fischer, Parents, 20 June 2026
Enervated cuteness and tryhard sincerity define a whole new wave of musicians, from Pittsburgh rockers feeble little horse to cringe-pop upcycler Worldpeace DMT to SoundCloud producer MASSI, whose songs spill with the tiny adorable detail of a toy train set.

— Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026

Definition of cringe

Verb

So, while the Dodgers crawled out of the hole with a season-high 17 hits, the steep cost heightens the pressure on the rest of the rotation the rest of the series.

— Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
The Germans were crawling as far as the street, dashing across the asphalt, then leaping into the second trench.

— Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Definition of crawl

Verb

With five seasons of Disney media training under their belts, the trio didn’t flinch.

— Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
Sipp slightly flinched his left arm before throwing a pitch to Emmanuel Burriss, allowing Miguel Tejada to score and sending San Francisco to its fourth straight win.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

Definition of flinch

Verb

Leaders should identify where bottlenecks crept back in, restore psychological safety around small failures, and rebuild the feedback loops that make frequent, low-risk deployment feel sustainable.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Asked Monday what the best part about being back has been so far, a big smile crept across Watkins’ face.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Definition of creep

Verb

The Real Madrid star played a give-and-go with captain Harry Kane and received the ball back in the center of the box, sliding it past the Mexican keeper and into the back of the net for a shock 2-0 lead that came in all of two minutes.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 July 2026

Definition of slide

Browse Nearby Words

grove

grovel

groveled

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Style

“Grovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grovel. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of grovel

verb

Example Sentences

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