as in to fuss
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
you can try kowtowing to the boss, but he'll see right through you
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Recent Examples of kowtow
The charismatic political newcomer, an Israeli immigrant with roots in Ethiopia, accused her Democratic rival of kowtowing to the progressive squad and looking the other way from the surge of undocumented immigrants crossing from Mexico.
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Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2024
In New York, some students and faculty members complained that university leaders had largely kowtowed to a Congress whose insistent questioning helped fuel the recent resignations by the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
—Alan Blinder, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
This did not surprise anyone who watched Trump as president repeatedly kowtow to Russian President Vladimir Putin and express admiration for other strongmen like North Korea’s Kim Jong Il.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
Entertainment-beat reporters now insist on turning readers and everyone else into peasants, kowtowing to DIE mandates.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kowtow 
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2024
In New York, some students and faculty members complained that university leaders had largely kowtowed to a Congress whose insistent questioning helped fuel the recent resignations by the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
—Alan Blinder, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
This did not surprise anyone who watched Trump as president repeatedly kowtow to Russian President Vladimir Putin and express admiration for other strongmen like North Korea’s Kim Jong Il.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
Entertainment-beat reporters now insist on turning readers and everyone else into peasants, kowtowing to DIE mandates.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kowtow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kowtow
Verb
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While some parents are fine with sleep training methods that involve lengthy separations from their babies, and a fair amount of crying and fussing, for other parents, these methods just don’t feel right.1 That’s where gentle sleep training come into play.Wendy Wisner, Parents, 17 Sep. 2024
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Somebody's done all the worrying and fussing for you!Joe Ray, WIRED, 31 Aug. 2024
Verb
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Hamlet’s toadying friends, the hangers-on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are Izzard’s own talking hands, popping up to face her like a pair of Muppets.Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2024
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This is the aspect of his production that made his reputation but is sometimes denigrated as superficial and toadying.Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023
Verb
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Common symptoms of a rapid squirrel include walking in circles, falling over, drooling, aggression, and seizures and muscle spasms, Critter Control reports.Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
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And Terry's pitch-perfect execution had her followers drooling.Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Garbarino enjoyed his time with the Southern river rats and mountain folk, and their refusal to truckle to authority delights him to this day.David Samuels, Town & Country, 18 Oct. 2013
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During the campaign, most of Trump’s fallen rivals blasted him in exceptional terms—before truckling to support him against Hillary Clinton.James Fallows, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2017
Verb
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To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.Richard Stacy, The Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2024
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The horror publication reported Tuesday that the film will be submitted for awards season consideration in such categories as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor.Tim Lammers, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The mercurial billionaire’s fawning support of a Republican candidate who promises to roll back environmental progress is a dilemma for a company whose core buyers identify as climate-conscious Democrats.Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
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That’s meant eschewing traditional media interviews in favor of fawning long-form podcast conversations with laddish hosts who draw massive young male audiences, such as Theo Von, Lex Friedman, Logan Paul, the Nelk Boys, and Joe Rogan, who boasts the most popular podcast in America.Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Kowtow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kowtow. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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