grovel

American  

[gruhv-uhl, grov-] / ˈgrʌv əl, ˈgrɒv- /

verb (used without object)

groveled, groveling, grovelled, grovelling

1. to humble oneself or act in an abject manner, as in great fear or utter servility.

   Synonyms:

   pander, kowtow, fawn, toady, truckle

2. to lie or crawl with the face downward and the body prostrate, especially in abject humility, fear, etc.

3. to take pleasure in mean or base things.

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grovel British  

/ ˈɡrɒvəl /

verb

1. to humble or abase oneself, as in making apologies or showing respect

2. to lie or crawl face downwards, as in fear or humility

3. (often foll by in) to indulge or take pleasure (in sensuality or vice)

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Other Word Forms

• groveler noun
• grovelingly adverb
• groveller noun
• grovelling noun
• grovellingly adverb
• ungroveling adjective
• ungrovelling adjective

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.

Example Sentences

After the commissioner makes this conceited Yank grovel, Marty simply replies, “It’s every man for himself where I come from.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

If they failed to adequately grovel and praise him, he punished their states by delaying the needed supplies and publicly derided them as incompetent.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2025

On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul made Suozzi drive to Albany to all but grovel for her support.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 8, 2023

A Syracuse University dean performed a similar grovel for the same offense.

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2022

All he had to do was confess to something small, but he couldn’t force himself to grovel in front of Jorge.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• beseech
• fawn