# fawn on

CEFR C2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fawn-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to praise someone too much or act too friendly because you want them to like you or give you something.

For teachers: to behave in a servile or sycophantic manner toward someone, typically to gain favor or advantage; often used to describe interactions with people in positions of power.

## Examples

- The employees fawn on the boss to get a promotion.
- It was embarrassing to watch the reporters fawn on the movie star during the press conference.
- The courtiers would constantly fawn on the young prince, hoping to secure influential positions before his eventual coronation.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He fawns his manager every day." but "He fawns on his manager every day." — the verb requires the preposition 'on' (or sometimes 'over') to connect to the object.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a person in a position of authority or high social status.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'admire' or 'praise' to show the negative, insincere quality of 'fawning'; mention the related adjective 'fawning' which is more common in modern journalism.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.