Kowtow – Behave very humbly towards someone and try to please them; to show too much respect or obedience

To remember the definition of the word kowtow, use the following mnemonic:

The cow in the towel (kowtow) would bow and then kneel and touch its forehead on the ground – it showed far too much respect and obedience.

Examples of kowtow in a sentence

The dictator made people kowtow towards him and kiss his hand.

I refused to kowtow to my husband and he divorced me.

The nuns kowtow to God, dedicating their life to him.