kowtow Synonyms
Another word for kowtow
• verb (Context 1)
To act in an excessively subservient, obsequious, or deferential manner toward someone in authority.
"The independent journalist refused to grovel to the demands of the local politicians."
• noun (Context 2)
An act of excessive deference, obsequiousness, or servile submission.
"Critics dismissed the minister's speech as a shameful capitulation to wealthy corporate lobbyists."
• noun (Context 3)
A traditional Chinese act of deep respect or submission performed by kneeling and touching the forehead to the ground.
"Foreign envoys in the nineteenth century often objected to performing the ritual prostration before the emperor."
• verb (Context 4)
To kneel and touch the ground with the forehead in worship or submission as part of traditional Chinese custom.
"Petitioners were required to bow three times upon entering the imperial court."
Opposites of kowtow
The opposite of kowtow shifts depending on context. Common opposites include: