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
Where the refusal of the Ukrainian president to don a suit for the Oval Office becomes a public symbol of his refusal to kowtow.
—
Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Beijing has shown a strong capacity for retaliation and a tactical openness to negotiation, but not a willingness to kowtow.
—Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025
Many of the university’s new policies have been seen by some critics as kowtowing to the Trump Administration.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 8 May 2025
Zen and others view any warming of ties with Beijing as kowtowing to an officially atheist regime.
—Eryk Michael Smith, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kowtow
Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Beijing has shown a strong capacity for retaliation and a tactical openness to negotiation, but not a willingness to kowtow.
—Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025
Many of the university’s new policies have been seen by some critics as kowtowing to the Trump Administration.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 8 May 2025
Zen and others view any warming of ties with Beijing as kowtowing to an officially atheist regime.
—Eryk Michael Smith, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kowtow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kowtow
Verb
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Vodka just keeps things boozy without fussing too much with the flavor.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
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Sleep regressions refer to periods when a baby who previously slept well suddenly begins waking frequently, fussing more, or resisting bedtime.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 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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His jaw wobbled unsteadily and a thin thread of spit drooled from the side of his mouth onto the counter.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
16 July 2025
-
Early signs include excessive panting, drooling, lethargy and weakness.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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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Garbarino enjoyed his time with the Southern river rats and mountain folk, and their refusal to truckle to authority delights him to this day.—
David Samuels,
Town & Country,
18 Oct. 2013
Verb
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With that filing, Duke must wait at least 120 days to submit a formal application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 July 2025
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You'll also be required to submit a request form to skip a payment.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
25 July 2025
Verb
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There’s a risk in becoming too attached to these fawning A.I.s.—
Paul Bloom,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
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Now, with new music on the horizon and a run of live shows, excitement is revving up for a fresh set of viral moments to fawn over.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kowtow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kowtow. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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