kowtowing Definition and Meaning in English (kowtowing definition)

verb
Quick Answer • Definition

Kowtowing definition: Engaging in excessively subservient behavior, often by bowing or showing extreme deference to someone in power to gain favor or avoid displeasure.

Definitions of Kowtowing

  1. 1verb(colloquial)

    Engaging in excessively subservient behavior, often by bowing or showing extreme deference to someone in power to gain favor or avoid displeasure.

Example Sentences

casual

“He was criticized for constantly kowtowing to his boss to get a promotion.”

formal

“The politician's kowtowing to the wealthy donors was evident in his policy decisions.”

Inflected Word Forms

infinitivekowtow
third person singularkowtows
past tensekowtowed
agent nounkowtower

Frequently Asked Questions: Kowtowing in English

What is the meaning of Kowtowing in English?▼
Kowtowing definition: Engaging in excessively subservient behavior, often by bowing or showing extreme deference to someone in power to gain favor or avoid displeasure.
How do you translate 'Kowtowing' to English?▼
'Kowtowing' translates to 'kowtowing' in English. Kowtowing definition: Engaging in excessively subservient behavior, often by bowing or showing extreme deference to someone in power to gain favor or avoid displeasure.
How do you pronounce 'Kowtowing' and 'kowtowing'?▼
Listen to clear English audio pronunciation of 'Kowtowing' and native English audio speech for 'kowtowing' with bilingual sentence examples on DictBridge.

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