Thesaurus results for GROVELS

grovels

verb

present tense third-person singular of grovel

as in cringes

to draw back or crouch down in fearful submission the way in which the abused dog would grovel whenever its owner came near

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as in crawls

to move slowly with the body close to the ground because of their anatomy, bats can only grovel while moving along the ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grovels

Verb

Payton cringes at the mention of a sophomore slump, that defenses will figure out Nix.

— Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2025

Definition of cringes

Verb

Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
Researchers have developed a new control framework that enables humanoid robots to perform agile movements, including army crawls, breakdancing and backflips.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of crawls

Verb

Warner flinches not about a birthday that is often associated with the beginning of decline.

— Dan Pompei, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Advertisement Throughout the narrative, Johnson never flinches in his portrayal of the wreck, unleashing footage of investigators approaching the car and the victims’ families.

— Jake King-Schreifels, Time, 15 May 2026

Definition of flinches

Verb

Nic Antaya / Getty Images As the calendar creeps toward September, the Detroit Red Wings are still conducting their search for their next general manager.

— Max Bultman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The polarizing quarterback will start Cleveland's exhibition opener at Chicago on Saturday — his first game action since 2024 — and Shedeur Sanders will play in the second half as the Browns' QB competition creeps toward a conclusion.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of creeps

Verb

The new district snakes up through Kansas City’s urban core, in an attempt to create a district more favorable for Republicans in the 5th District.

— Jack Harvel July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
The story of McCarthy’s life was written on this winding street that snakes through a small, working-class corner of Pittsburgh where the Monongahela River bends.

— Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of snakes

Verb

The former Syracuse standout, who starred during the preseason, immediately slides in as Malik Willis’ backup.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
These breezy, versatile pants can be dressed up with a boatneck top and heeled sandals or paired with a button-down shirt and slides for a more relaxed look.

— Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of slides

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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groveling

grovels

groves

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“Grovels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grovels. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grovels

verb

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