obsequious

American  

[uhb-see-kwee-uhs] / əbˈsi kwi əs /

adjective

1. characterized by or showing servile obedience and excessive eagerness to please; fawning; ingratiating.

   an obsequious bow;

   obsequious servants.

   Synonyms:

   submissive, deferential, subservient, servile, oleaginous, flattering

2. obedient; dutiful.

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obsequious British  

/ əbˈsiːkwɪəs /

adjective

1. obedient or attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner

2. rare submissive or compliant

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Related Words

See servile.

Other Word Forms

• obsequiously adverb
• obsequiousness noun
• overobsequious adjective
• overobsequiously adverb
• unobsequious adjective
• unobsequiously adverb

Etymology

Origin of obsequious

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin obsequiōsus, equivalent to obsequi(um) “compliance,” derivative of obsequ(ī) “to comply with” (equivalent to ob- + sequī “to follow”) + -ium + -ōsus; ob-, -ium, -ous

Example Sentences

It’s going to be this obsequious, bootlicking celebration of Alito’s brilliance.

From Slate • Feb. 13, 2026

Mr. Landau may be a revered figure in the history of rock, but Mr. Cooper and Mr. Strong’s version of him reminded me of Paul Shaffer’s obsequious Artie Fufkin in “This Is Spinal Tap.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

Vance was never the first choice for even that obsequious role.

From Salon • Sep. 5, 2025

Does Moretti start knocking off Ariel’s colleagues because they’re too obsequious or not slavish enough?

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2025

He scrambled to his feet and darted over to Ranofer with his most obsequious smile and the hateful hand-rubbing.

From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw