as in fussing
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
a student who could not wait to fawn over the new teacher
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in obsequious
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in sycophancy
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fawning
Adjective
-
The Texas State Legislature was even more obsequious, approving a $15 million incentive package in 2013.—
Guthrie Scrimgeour,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2025 -
Softening the strongman The film starts with the loyal and somewhat obsequious journalist Pavel Zarubin interviewing Putin at the end of his long working day in the Kremlin, at 1:30 a.m.—
Peter Rutland,
The Conversation,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
This may suggest that current safety guardrails and training methods may not address these gaps in AI outputs, and that a potentially dangerous sycophancy problem persists across different model generations.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 July 2025
-
Another problem with Rutte’s strategy is that there is little evidence that sycophancy, no matter how extreme, has produced significant long-term change in Trump’s views.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
-
His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
The incident causes much stress for Josh, as his adoration for Winfrey is a running joke throughout the series.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
20 July 2025
-
The sight of Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough and AJ McLean caused a level of ear-splitting adoration that has been trailing the guys for 30 years.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
The film’s slavish dedication to its source material — the challenging of which would open its own can of worms — demands ignoring all potential complexity in favor of didactic conclusions.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
19 June 2025
-
The Red Sox organization’s slavish devotion to analytics has a downside, Lynn said.—
Bill Speros,
Boston Herald,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
These institutions provide checks and balances in a way that would almost seem to draw on American traditions of government — with the profound difference that all institutions in Iran are ultimately subordinate to just one power, Khamenei's.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
25 June 2025
-
Columban monasteries remained free of the control of local bishops and were instead directly subordinate to the pope.—
Bernd Roeck
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Many houses of worship host events encouraging members to vote — Souls to the Polls is an important event in many Black churches, for example — and some churches are polling places themselves.—
Lauren Costantino
Updated July 20,
Miami Herald,
20 July 2025
-
The church is in the process of raising $75,000 to attain its own permanent space of worship and build newer generations’ faith, according to O’Connor.—
Olivia Cyrus
July 20,
Sacbee.com,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
It will not be subservient to the prime minister—or to any one person.—
HARTOSH SINGH BAL,
Foreign Affairs,
30 June 2025
-
Latinas of all backgrounds have endured being typecast as a slutty Maria or subservient Lupe.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Fawning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fawning. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share