grovel
Americanverb (used without object)
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grovels,
present (3rd person singular)
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groveled,
past participle, past
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grovelled,
past participle, past (especially British)
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groveling,
present participle
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grovelling
present participle (especially British)
verb
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to humble or abase oneself, as in making apologies or showing respect
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to lie or crawl face downwards, as in fear or humility
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(often foll by in) to indulge or take pleasure (in sensuality or vice)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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grovelernoun
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grovellernoun
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grovellingnoun
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ungrovelingadjective
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ungrovellingadjective
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grovelinglyadverb
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grovellinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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grovelsimple
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grovelssimple
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have groveledperfect
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have grovelledperfect
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has groveledperfect
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has grovelledperfect
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am grovelingprogressive
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am grovellingprogressive
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are grovelingprogressive
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are grovellingprogressive
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is grovelingprogressive
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is grovellingprogressive
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have been grovelingperfect progressive
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have been grovellingperfect progressive
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has been grovelingperfect progressive
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has been grovellingperfect progressive
Past
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groveledsimple
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grovelledsimple
-
had groveledperfect
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had grovelledperfect
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was grovelingprogressive
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was grovellingprogressive
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were grovelingprogressive
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were grovellingprogressive
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had been grovelingperfect progressive
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had been grovellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of grovel
1585–95; back formation from obsolete groveling (adv.), equivalent to obsolete grufe face down (< Old Norse ā grūfu face down) + -ling 2, taken to be present participle
Explanation
To grovel is to beg like a hungry dog. You don't have to be a canine though; you might grovel for a better grade (please don't). If you grovel you risk getting the opposite of what you want, because people (like teachers) don't like people down at their feet begging for something. But if you cheat on your date, you may have to grovel to get him or her back. Grovel also means to crawl around on your belly — you could grovel on gravel, but that might really hurt. The word comes from the Vikings; in Old Norse the word grufe means "prone" (lying flat) which is probably how Vikings liked to see the people they were conquering. You grovel when you want something but also when you're afraid.
Vocabulary lists containing grovel
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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:
Absolutely, but Colin is eager to please and genuinely loves to grovel.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2025
“I hope you're proud, how you would grovel in submission.”
From Salon ● Dec. 2, 2024
On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul made Suozzi drive to Albany to all but grovel for her support.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 8, 2023
Elrond isn’t the only elf who has to grovel among the rabble in this episode.
From New York Times ● Sep. 23, 2022
I grovel for mercy — sometimes I manage real tears.
From "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schlitz
Instead of mandating, directing, or using the word “shall,” the code grovels before its own authors, flattering them with meek suggestions that justices “should,” “should not” and might “endeavor to” act in certain ways.
From Salon ● Nov. 24, 2023
It’s easy for an ego like his to grow wings and fly when, even as a washed-up quarterback, an NFL coach grovels for your services.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 9, 2022
“Everyone grovels to Graydon and other writers there and covets invitations to their parties,” said Leslee Dart, a publicist whose clients include Tom Hanks, Woody Allen and Meryl Streep.
From New York Times ● Sep. 9, 2013
"To Entertain a Small Hope That Might Allay My Heartache" features a letter in which Kemal grovels, still in its envelope.
From New York Times ● Oct. 4, 2012
The vine that finds no support for its upward growth, grovels on the earth and covers it with rank, unshapely leaves.
From Helen and Arthur or, Miss Thusa's Spinning Wheel by Caroline Lee Hentz
For exactly a quarter of a century, I’ve grasped and groveled and guessed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2025
Franchises, of course, have always pandered — it’s in their D.N.A. — but rarely has one groveled quite so thirstily for fan approval.
From New York Times ● Jan. 13, 2022
He groveled, and then hedged, then tried to walk it all back with the absurdly laughable claim that he confused the word “would” for “wouldn’t”.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 22, 2018
Pick meeee: Cities including Boston, Ottawa, New York, and Tucson have groveled at Jeff Bezos’ feet in their applications to host Amazon’s second headquarters that were due on Thursday.
From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2017
He groveled on his belly and came up to her smiling, head lowered humbly.
From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George
It quotes: "Even if he grovelled to us on his knees, it wouldn't be enough."
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
There’s not an artist out there who hasn’t grovelled on the path to greatness, and getting through school isn’t an impediment to a musical career but a platform to build one on.
From The Guardian ● May 21, 2017
Months later, upon seeing how quickly Dubai had sprawled outwards, he returned to court and grovelled.
From The Guardian ● May 16, 2016
Less than three months after their foolish decision, Coke’s bosses grovelled to customers and reintroduced classic Coke.
From Economist ● Mar. 29, 2012
Then crawling to Frodo’s feet he grovelled before him, whispering hoarsely: a shudder ran over him, as if the words shook his very bones with fear.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
In groveling posts online, Ms. Gann affirmed she’s a pale-skin-ian, not a Palestinian, calling herself a “white woman of significant privilege and wealth” who deceived everyone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
They want illiterate, groveling serfs, who live in fear and don’t stick around too long.
From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2025
If you’re not going to push back on his lazy groveling, then what are you even doing?
From Slate ● May 9, 2025
Kruse told told the audience that the Black men who joined the Union Army were “not groveling for inclusion” but actively chose to fight.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
That there would be a tomorrow, that come morning, he would try and fix things, do a bit of groveling to Daniel and a lot of groveling to Clara.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
He added: "This statement needs to contain a commitment to growing the economy and a grovelling apology for the amount of money that has been wasted".
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2024
"Trying to run around with your hand outstretched, grovelling, begging for money, is pointless," Putin said in a televised address to Russia's political, military and business elite.
From Reuters ● Feb. 21, 2023
But its immediate collapse ended hopes of those new sources of income and forced the Glazers and FSG to make grovelling apologies to fans.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 27, 2022
This he said fatherly in his love, kissing my hands and grovelling at my feet; and with tears he named me, not daughter, but lady.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2019
‘Mercy, lord!’ whined Wormtongue, grovelling on the ground.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Definitions 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.
