FAWNING

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does fawning mean? 

• FAWNING (adjective)
  The adjective FAWNING has 2 senses:

1. attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

2. attempting to win favor by flattery

  Familiarity information: FAWNING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FAWNING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

Synonyms:

bootlicking; fawning; obsequious; sycophantic; toadyish

Similar:

insincere (lacking sincerity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Attempting to win favor by flattery

Synonyms:

bootlicking; fawning; sycophantic; toadyish

Similar:

servile (submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior)

 Context examples 

Through a combination of satellite measurements and ground-based population counts, researchers can forecast the timing of fawning seasons based on vegetation.

(Tracking Deer by NASA Satellite, NASA)

“What? Uriah? That mean, fawning fellow, worm himself into such promotion!” I cried, indignantly.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Servile and fawning as he had been before, he was now as domineering and bellicose.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

As soon as I was back again he returned to his former manner, half fawning, half sneering, patted me on the shoulder, told me I was a good boy and he had taken quite a fancy to me.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Hence it follows of necessity, that vast numbers of our people are compelled to seek their livelihood by begging, robbing, stealing, cheating, pimping, flattering, suborning, forswearing, forging, gaming, lying, fawning, hectoring, voting, scribbling, star-gazing, poisoning, whoring, canting, libelling, freethinking, and the like occupations: every one of which terms I was at much pains to make him understand.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

So by measuring the greenness of the mule deer habitat, scientists were able to mark the beginning and peak of the plant growing season – and the fawning season.

(Tracking Deer by NASA Satellite, NASA)

A moment afterwards, he was as fawning and as humble as ever.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“You haven't need to say so much, nor half so much, nor anything at all,” observed Uriah, half defiant, and half fawning.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He received me in his usual fawning way, and pretended not to have heard of my arrival from Mr. Micawber; a pretence I took the liberty of disbelieving.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Present circumstances is not what your friends would wish for you, Mister Copperfield, but it isn't money makes the man: it's—I am really unequal with my umble powers to express what it is, said Uriah, with a fawning jerk, but it isn't money!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)