grovel
verb (used without object)
to humble oneself or act in an abject manner, as in great fear or utter servility.
groveled
-
past participleof grovel.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof grovel.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
grovelverb (used without object)to humble oneself or act in an abject manner, as in great fear or utter servility.
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.
For exactly a quarter of a century, I’ve grasped and groveled and guessed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2025
“Blonde” wants you to believe that one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons was a haunted, hated sad sack who cried, screamed and groveled her way through film history.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 2022
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
With Aunty Uju, they hovered and groveled, curtseying deeply as they greeted her, overpraising her handbag and shoes.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
