Adulate and Kowtow

Adulate

Adulate verb - To praise too much.
Usage example: a business executive who unwisely surrounds herself with incompetent assistants who spend all their time adulating her

Kowtow and adulate are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Kowtow" instead a verb "Adulate".

Kowtow

Kowtow verb - To use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior.
Usage example: you can try kowtowing to the boss, but he'll see right through you

Adulate and kowtow are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Adulate" instead a verb "Kowtow".

Nearby Words: kowtowing, kowtowed
Cite this Source
Kowtow and Adulate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/adulate/kowtow
Adulate & Kowtow. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/adulate/kowtow>.
Kowtow or Adulate. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/adulate/kowtow.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "adulate" and "kowtow" have occurred on timeline