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fawning — showing exaggerated attention or affection; attempting to please by flattery or obsequious behavior

Part of speech: ADJECTIVE

Definition: showing exaggerated attention or affection; attempting to please by flattery or obsequious behavior

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈfɔːnɪŋ/

Example Sentences

  • The intern kept fawning over the CEO's dog, even offering to knit it a tiny sweater with the company logo.
  • The critic dismissed the biography as a fawning portrait that carefully ignored its subject's failures.
  • My cat completely ignores me all week, but starts fawning the moment a stranger opens a can of tuna.

fawning

ADJECTIVE

[/ˈfɔːnɪŋ/]

showing exaggerated attention or affection; attempting to please by flattery or obsequious behavior

an overly enthusiastic employee bows deeply while holding out a steaming cup of coffee to their well-dressed boss. The employee's face shows an exaggerated smile with sparkling eyes as they lean forward uncomfortably close. The boss sits behind a large desk looking slightly uncomfortable but pleased with the attention. The employee's posture shows extreme deference with hunched shoulders and eager gestures. Other office workers in the background roll their eyes at the obvious display of excessive flattery. someone attempting to please through exaggerated attention and obsequious behavior
💡 Concept

an overly enthusiastic employee bows deeply while holding out a steaming cup of coffee to their well-dressed boss. The employee's face shows an exaggerated smile with sparkling eyes as they lean forward uncomfortably close. The boss sits behind a large desk looking slightly uncomfortable but pleased with the attention. The employee's posture shows extreme deference with hunched shoulders and eager gestures. Other office workers in the background roll their eyes at the obvious display of excessive flattery. someone attempting to please through exaggerated attention and obsequious behavior

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈfɔːnɪŋ/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈfɔːnɪŋ/

🌳Etymology

Rootfawn
Suffix--ing

Origin

From Old English 'fægnian' meaning 'to rejoice or be glad.' The word evolved from describing how dogs wag their tails and show joy when greeting their masters to meaning 'to show exaggerated affection or servile flattery.'

Breakdown

fawn (root meaning 'to show joy like a dog greeting its master') + -ing (present participle suffix showing ongoing action)

🎵Rhyme

dawningyawningspawning

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“The intern kept fawning over the CEO's dog, even offering to knit it a tiny sweater with the company logo.”

“The critic dismissed the biography as a fawning portrait that carefully ignored its subject's failures.”

😄 Fun example

“My cat completely ignores me all week, but starts fawning the moment a stranger opens a can of tuna.”

“The senator was accused of sending fawning letters to influential donors to secure re-election funding.”

📚Related Words

Synonyms

obsequiousservilesycophanticflatteringgroveling

Antonyms

honeststraightforwardblunt

Related

sycophantflattergrovelbootlicker

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