grovel

He has no use for expertise or talent; he prefers people who will grovel before him.

From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2026

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

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

Kichijiro, who enters grunting and twitching, as if in homage to Toshiro Mifune, and grovels at the priest’s feet, also seems on hand as much for comic relief as for guidance.

From New York Times ● Dec. 22, 2016

“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

The fiend that now urges to—pen flippant novels Is modern Poor Tom's modish Modo,* The work that in cynical worldliness grovels Will soon be extinct as the Dodo!

From Punch, or the London Charivari, December 2, 1893 by Various

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

Patsy bowed and groveled a bit when I turned to face him, but said nothing.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

It quotes: "Even if he grovelled to us on his knees, it wouldn't be enough."

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Months later, upon seeing how quickly Dubai had sprawled outwards, he returned to court and grovelled.

From The Guardian ● May 16, 2016

"I really didn't mean to imply Becky had failed in any way," she later grovelled.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 4, 2012

Less than three months after their foolish decision, Coke’s bosses grovelled to customers and reintroduced classic Coke.

From Economist ● Mar. 29, 2012

He grovelled on the ground and could speak no clear words but nice master.

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

As per Margaret Hartmann with New York Magazine's Intelligencer, the gift is "peak spineless groveling."

From Salon ● Jan. 15, 2025

Portnoy’s deal-with-it stance, and the groveling he expected and received from even his former workers, reminded me of another mogul who recently came into possession of a media property of much fascination: Elon Musk.

From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2023

In the heartstopping series finale of “Succession” on Sunday night, striving Midwesterner Tom Wambsgans was named chief executive of Waystar Royco, completing his transformation from groveling buffoon to business titan.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2023

As a result, Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Gitney’s remonstrances with the committee of investors were grown particularly groveling and obsequious.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

She told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme there appeared to be an understanding that everything would move on following Schofield's "grovelling apology".

From BBC ● May 29, 2023

"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

And there is Orson Welles as Falstaff, and Falstaff is grovelling for Henry V. He’s banished.

From The New Yorker ● Oct. 28, 2019

“He’s harmless, mei baas,” Granny went on in the most grovelling of voices.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane