obsequious
Slavishly eager to please
Obsequious is used to negatively characterize people or their behavior as being servile and aimed at winning favor with someone: The waiter gave us an obsequious smile and introduced himself.
There is nearly always a division of rank, even if only temporary, in situations where someone is seen to be obsequious, with the obsequious behavior directed from the lower- to the higher-ranking person.
Servilely flattering
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
kowtowing · cringing · slavish · subservient · unctuous · oleaginous · smarmy · flattering
sycophantic
Servilely flattering
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
bootlicking · kowtowing · cringing · slavish · subservient · unctuous · oleaginous · smarmy · flattering · ingratiating
submissive
Readily yielding to control
- meekHumbly unassertive
- compliantYielding to others' wishes
- acquiescentAccepting without resistance
docile · yielding · obedient · dutiful · respectful · reverent · courteous · attentive · biddable · amenable
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- SAT vocabularyaesthetic, ambiguous, benevolent, candid, concise
- submissivesubmissive, subservient, obedient, servile, docile
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
- persuasionpersuade, persuasion, persuasive, convince, convincing
obsequiousdomineering
Aggressively asserting control
assertive · imperious · defiant · rebellious · arrogant
obsequioussincere
Genuinely felt, not feigned
genuine · forthright · candid · straightforward · blunt