Fondle vs Grovel - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between fondle and grovel

is that fondle is to touch or stroke lovingly while grovel is to be prone on the ground.

To touch or stroke lovingly.

Mothers fondle their babies.

To grasp.

The lovers fondled each other.

* fondler * fondlingly

To be prone on the ground.

To crawl

To abase oneself before another person.

To be nice to someone or apologize in the hope of securing something.

To take pleasure in mundane activities.

* The spellings grovelling and grovelled are more common in the UK. Groveling and groveled are more common in the US.