Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of bow and scrape

24 similar words

Another word for bow and scrape is flannel. Other synonyms of bow and scrape are toady, overrate and overpraise.

Synonyms and similar words for bow and scrape

verbTo make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back (thus scraping the floor), left hand pressed...

  • make a legTo make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.

verbTo behave in a servile, obsequious, or excessively polite manner.

  • brownnoseTo flatter someone (especially a superior) in an obsequious manner, and to support their every opinion.
  • fawnTo seek favour by flattery and obsequious behaviour.
  • suck upTo absorb (fluid).
  • apple-polish USTo attempt to obtain favors, especially by flattery; to toady or fawn.
  • bootlickTo seek favor from by fawning, servile behavior.
  • butter upTo flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.
  • dickride vulgarTo behave in a submissive, subservient, or overflattering manner toward.
  • duchess AustraliaTo court or curry favour for political or business advantage; to flatter obsequiously.
  • fawn overTo praise excessively in order to get a favor.
  • fellate figuratively, vulgarTo suck up to, to flatter or be shamefully subservient to.
  • flannelTo flatter; to suck up to.
  • honey around figurativelyTo cajole or sweet-talk (someone); to hang out around (someone) as a yes-man or toady.
  • kiss someone's ass vulgarTo flatter someone (especially a superior) in an obsequious manner, and to support their every opinion to gain their...
  • kiss someone's ringTo give respect or reverence to someone; to express servitude to someone.
  • kiss upTo pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.
  • kowtow figuratively
  • lick someone's ass vulgarTo flatter someone (especially a superior) in an obsequious manner, and to support their every opinion.
  • lick someone's balls vulgarTo act in a subservient manner; to suck up to.
  • overflatterTo flatter unduly or excessively; to overpraise.
  • overpraiseTo do so toward a person.
  • overrateTo esteem too highly; to give greater praise than due.
  • toadyTo behave like a toady (toward someone).
  • honey up dated, figurativelyTo cajole, suck up to or sweet-talk (someone).

Meaning of bow and scrape

  1. verb To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back (thus scraping the floor), left hand pressed across the abdomen, right arm held aside.
  2. verb To behave in a servile, obsequious, or excessively polite manner.
  3. noun A deep formal bow with right leg drawn back touching the ground.

Full definition of bow and scrape

bow and scrape in other languages

Questions about synonyms of bow and scrape

What is another word for bow and scrape?
Bow and scrape has 24 synonyms on Word.ws, such as flannel, toady, overrate and overpraise.
What does bow and scrape mean?
Bow and scrape means to make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back (thus scraping the floor), left hand pressed across the abdomen, right arm held aside.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: bow and scrape (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of bow and scrape.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/bow_and_scrape. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.