Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fawning

/fɔnɪŋ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.65 in modern English

Syllables: fawn-ing
IPA: /fɔnɪŋ/

14

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

present participle and gerund of fawn

adj

Seeking favor by way of flattery; flattering, servile.

noun

Servile flattery.

Example Sentences

"That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired."
"Shylock: How like a fawning publican he looks ![…]"
"Hamlet: No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp, And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee Where thrift may follow fawning."
"Xantippus found his ruin ere it reached him, Lurking behind your honours and rewards; Found it in your feigned courtesies and fawnings."

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /fɔnɪŋ/
British English: /fɔːnɪŋ/

Inflected Forms

fawnings (plural)

Derived Forms

fawningly fawningness unfawning

Synonyms

bootlicking sycophantic toadyish obsequious

Rhymes With

yawning dawning awning mawning

Questions

How do you pronounce fawning?: The recorded pronunciation is /fɔnɪŋ/.
What does fawning mean?: present participle and gerund of fawn

How to pronounce fawning

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “fawning”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/fɔnɪŋ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “fawning”.
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