fawning
Excessively praising someone
Fawning describes excessive flattery or affection, typically motivated by a desire to gain favor or approval.
Someone who fawns over a celebrity or authority figure showers them with obsequious praise and attention.
The word carries negative connotations—fawning behavior suggests insincerity and servility rather than genuine admiration.
The fawning coverage made the candidate seem beyond criticism.
The term derives from the behavior of dogs, who demonstrate eager submission by wagging tails and licking faces.
Servilely attentive to superiors
- servileExcessively submissive, lacking independence
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
smarmy · flattering · ingratiating · toadying · cringing · oily · slavish · kowtowing
Humbly unassertive
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- deferentialShowing humble submission
- docileEasily controlled or taught
- compliantYielding to others' wishes
acquiescent · obedient · yielding · passive · pliant · biddable · tractable · tame
Loyally and lovingly attached
- affectionateShowing warm regard
- worshipfulFeeling or showing reverence
- dotingExcessively affectionate toward
- enamoredFilled with ardent affection
smitten · adoring · besotted · loving · ardent · cherishing · reverent · lovestruck
obsequious
Servilely attentive to superiors
- servileExcessively submissive, lacking independence
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
unctuous · smarmy · flattering · ingratiating · toadying · cringing · oily · slavish · kowtowing · apple-polishing
meek
Humbly unassertive
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- deferentialShowing humble submission
- docileEasily controlled or taught
compliant · acquiescent · obedient · yielding · passive · pliant · biddable · tractable · tame · unassertive
devoted
Loyally and lovingly attached
- affectionateShowing warm regard
- worshipfulFeeling or showing reverence
- dotingExcessively affectionate toward
enamored · smitten · adoring · besotted · loving · ardent · cherishing · reverent · lovestruck · tender
- Affected Speechaffectation, airs, pretentiousness, posh accent, overenunciation
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- praiselauding, compliments, laudation, accolades, great job
- animal cycleshibernation, migration patterns, breeding season, mating season, mating seasons
- Codependencycodependency, enabling, enmeshment, people-pleasing, caretaking
- submissivenesssubmissiveness, docility, meekness, obedience, tractability