genuflect
Americanverb (used without object)
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genuflects,
present (3rd person singular)
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genuflected,
past participle, past
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genuflecting
present participle
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to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship.
-
to express a servile attitude.
verb
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to act in a servile or deferential manner
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RC Church to bend one or both knees as a sign of reverence, esp when passing before the Blessed Sacrament
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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genuflectsimple
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genuflectssimple
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have genuflectedperfect
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has genuflectedperfect
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am genuflectingprogressive
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are genuflectingprogressive
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is genuflectingprogressive
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have been genuflectingperfect progressive
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has been genuflectingperfect progressive
Past
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genuflectedsimple
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had genuflectedperfect
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was genuflectingprogressive
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were genuflectingprogressive
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had been genuflectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of genuflect
1620–30; < Medieval Latin genūflectere to bend the knee, equivalent to Latin genū-, stem of genu knee + flectere to bend
Explanation
If you are genuflecting, you are on your knees — either physically or in spirit. Politicians are experts at genuflecting to whatever idea or person is most popular at the time. In the old days, when you came in front of your social superiors, you were expected to genuflect: that is, bend your knee and bow submissively. You did it before kings and nobles, and everyone did it in church before God. In our more egalitarian age, genuflecting has taken on a rather insincere and servile meaning. Best not to genuflect, but simply to admire.
Vocabulary lists containing genuflect
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Bless Me, Ultima
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The Bluest Eye
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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:
Shows like “Top Chef” teach us to genuflect at the altars of celebrity culinarians, viewing their restaurants and signature dishes as luxury experiences as opposed to showing regular folks how to think innovatively about dinner.
From Salon ● Jan. 30, 2026
Turn off your cellphones and get ready to genuflect because Patti LuPone, musical theater royalty, is heading to the Hollywood Bowl on July 30 for a one-night tribute to Sondheim.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2023
But beyond the ambition to warp genres, he’s also refused to genuflect to industry conventions, especially ones for Spanish-speaking artists.
From New York Times ● May 6, 2022
“Instead, the faithful are requested to genuflect or make a profound bow as they venerate the cross,” said Archbishop Romulo Valles, who heads the bishops’ conference.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 26, 2020
Every time I stepped into his office, I felt the need to genuflect.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Mapplethorpe genuflects at the altar of that icon with a platinum portrait of Warhol, backed by a halo of light and surrounded by silk panels that form a cross.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
Without anything divine to revere, American home and landscape design largely genuflects at the altar of the market.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2025
The woman who holds the head genuflects with her soaking parcel.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 22, 2020
But “The Andromeda Evolution” genuflects appropriately to the 1969 novel that instantly infected pop culture.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 11, 2019
According to Baldeschi, the veil is removed from the celebrant when he genuflects in the predella, after having given the benediction.
From The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, Volume 1, December 1864 by Various
He hired people because they genuflected to him, not because they had any expertise.
From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2023
Former White House press secretary Dee Dee Myers genuflected: “I bow at your feet.”
From Washington Post ● Aug. 26, 2022
I almost genuflected in the doorway but restrained myself.
From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2022
As he is wont to do, Bill Shaikin once again genuflected at the Dodger altar and — cue the harp music — sang the praises of Chase Utley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2018
The line moved past the water fonts where we wet our fingers and genuflected as we made the sign of the cross.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
“The fighters genuflecting before him, the commentators dapping him up, talking about how great it is that he’s here.”
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026
He’s genuflecting and appears penitent, it’s him with no public or private, shipwrecked in place in a way.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2024
As the Washington Post's media reporter put it: "Everyone is genuflecting before the Pentagon powerhouse… America's new rock star."
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2023
Over decades of presidential campaigns, the Iowa way has been to hop from town to town, taking questions from all comers and genuflecting to the local culinary traditions.
From New York Times ● Aug. 10, 2023
“Sorrento has tried everything but genuflecting, doing a little dance, and sticking his pinky finger in the keyhole.”
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
