as in to fuss
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
you can try kowtowing to the boss, but he'll see right through you
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Recent Examples of kowtow
However, LeafSpring's developer, Randy Bufford, isn't ready to kowtow to community pressure.
—
Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Modi’s refusal to kowtow to US pressure plays to his political brand built around the image of a strong leader helming an India that is focused on its own interests on the world stage.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
Flattering, placating, and kowtowing only seem to spark escalating demands while defiance risks retaliation.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
Pushback by viewers in Sinclair and Nexstar’s ABC markets, and the perception that the companies are kowtowing to the FCC chairman’s anti-liberal ideology, could be a factor to lead the companies to relent.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kowtow
Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Modi’s refusal to kowtow to US pressure plays to his political brand built around the image of a strong leader helming an India that is focused on its own interests on the world stage.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
Flattering, placating, and kowtowing only seem to spark escalating demands while defiance risks retaliation.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
Pushback by viewers in Sinclair and Nexstar’s ABC markets, and the perception that the companies are kowtowing to the FCC chairman’s anti-liberal ideology, could be a factor to lead the companies to relent.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kowtow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kowtow
Verb
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Emma looked around, confused at the adults fussing around him and too young, perhaps, to grasp the severity of the scene.—
Maeva Bambuck,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Need to put a filling dinner on the table, but don't have a lot of time to fuss?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The Empire was a sinister, one-note shadow: faceless Storm Troopers, toadying fascistic generals, a cackling emperor, and of course Darth Vader, an enigmatic demon masked and cloaked in black.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
25 Apr. 2025
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The only other psychological need that rivals his thirst for toadying is the pursuit of .—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This indulgent treat already has fans drooling—and many Costco members have been running to their local bakeries to see if the Cookie Bar Cake is still in stock.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Jan. 2026
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That’s a job for Hankton, who will still have an immensely talented unit, one most coaches would drool over.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Unless Trump’s art of the deal is all about truckling to Putin.—
Maureen Dowd,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
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During the campaign, most of Trump’s fallen rivals blasted him in exceptional terms—before truckling to support him against Hillary Clinton.—
James Fallows,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2017
Verb
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Call it the bootlicking trickle-down-effect.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Those who delay this fate the longest are bootlicking mediocrities — the survival of the sycophants.—
Michael Gerson,
Anchorage Daily News,
18 Mar. 2018
Verb
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All prize claims must be submitted within 180 days of the drawing date for draw games.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
8 Feb. 2026
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The post generated more than 300 guesses, some submitted purely in fun.—
Kathleen Hill,
The Providence Journal,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Wu, who has been fawned over by liberal media, would come to the ticket with no such baggage.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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Beyoncé's Botticelli-esque waves are defined with ribbons of golden highlights that had audiences fawning.—
Audrey Noble,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kowtow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kowtow. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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