Grovel

To grovel means to lie or crawl abjectly on the ground with one’s face downward, often in a show of submission or fear. More generally, it refers to the act of behaving in a servile or obsequious manner in order to ingratiate oneself with someone, often involving excessive flattery or apologies.

Grovel meaning with examples

• After realizing he had offended his boss, Tom decided to grovel in hopes of saving his job. He brought in coffee, apologized profusely, and offered to stay late every night for a month, demonstrating just how far he was willing to go to earn her forgiveness and trust again.
• During the meeting, Jane knew that her performance review was going to be tough, so she chose to grovel, thanking her supervisor for constructive criticism and offering to implement all feedback. Unfortunately, her excessive flattery came off as insincere, leading to further scrutiny of her professional abilities.
• When the puppy chewed on the expensive shoes, its owner watched it with a mix of anger and amusement. The dog, sensing the displeasure, started to grovel, rolling over on its back and wagging its tail, trying to elicit forgiveness through a display of its earnestness and charm.
• After being caught in a lie, Mark had no other option but to grovel before his friends. He sent a heartfelt text message filled with apologies, remorse, and a promise to earn back their trust, hoping that his willingness to admit fault would be enough to restore their friendship.