To grovel means to act in an overly humble, desperate way to try to win someone's favor or forgiveness, often by literally getting down on the ground or metaphorically lowering and insulting yourself. Picture someone getting on their hands and knees, begging and pleading after doing something wrong, promising they'll do anything to make it right.

When you grovel, you go overboard with flattery, pleas, and putting yourself down, showing desperation rather than genuine remorse. A student who forgets their homework might grovel before the teacher, making extravagant promises and excuses. Someone who betrayed a friend's trust might grovel, begging for another chance.

The word carries a negative feeling. While a genuine apology shows respect for both people involved, groveling suggests desperation and can look weak or insincere. Someone might grovel before a bully to avoid trouble, or grovel before someone powerful, hoping for special treatment.

You can also use it for someone literally crawling face-down on the ground: a defeated army might grovel in the dirt before their conquerors. But today it more often describes the emotional posture of extreme, somewhat pathetic humility. Groveling takes apologizing to an uncomfortable extreme that usually doesn't earn genuine respect.