fawn, toady, truckle, cringe, cower mean to behave abjectly before a superior. fawn implies seeking favor by servile flattery or exaggerated attention.

FAWN definition: a young deer, especially an unweaned one. See examples of fawn used in a sentence.

fawn verb [I] (PRAISE) to give someone a lot of attention and praise in order to get that person’s approval:

Dec 11, 2025 · fawn (third-person singular simple present fawns, present participle fawning, simple past and past participle fawned) (intransitive) To exhibit affection or attempt to please.

To seek favor or attention by flattery and obsequious behavior. [Middle English faunen, from Old English fagnian, to rejoice, from fagen, fægen, glad.] fawn′er n.

fawn′er, n. fawn′ing•ly, adv. fawn′ing•ness, n. 1. toady, truckle, flatter, kowtow.

These verbs mean to seek or gain favor by behaving obsequiously and submissively: fawned on her superior; bootlicked to get a promotion; lawyers kowtowing to a judge; slavered over his …