truckling
Yielding with servility
Truckling is behaving in a submissive, servile way—yielding weakly to someone in power or authority.
The word suggests spinelessness and a willingness to abandon principle for approval: His truckling to the committee chair disgusted his colleagues.
From the verb truckle, which originally meant to sleep in a trundle bed—literally positioned lower than another.
Servilely flattering
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
ingratiating · unctuous · flattering · adulatory · kowtowing · brownnosing · apple-polishing · ass-kissing
Excessively submissive, lacking independence
- submissiveReadily yielding to control
- deferentialShowing humble submission
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- meekHumbly unassertive
docile · compliant · obedient · acquiescent · biddable · yielding · passive · unassertive
sycophantic
Servilely flattering
- toadyingObsequious behavior seeking favor
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
groveling · ingratiating · unctuous · flattering · adulatory · kowtowing · brownnosing · apple-polishing · ass-kissing · obsequious
servile
Excessively submissive, lacking independence
- submissiveReadily yielding to control
- deferentialShowing humble submission
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
meek · docile · compliant · obedient · acquiescent · biddable · yielding · passive · unassertive · conformable
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
trucklingdefying
Actively refusing obedience
resisting · asserting · standing up · rebelling · confronting
trucklingself-respecting
Having personal dignity
dignified · proud · independent · upstanding · principled
trucklingdefiant
Openly resisting control
resisting · assertive · rebellious · insubordinate · unyielding
trucker, trucking, pickup truck, truckload, dump truck, hand truck, truckloads, truckle, truckful