cower
verb
cow·er
ˈkau̇(-ə)r 
cowered; cowering; cowers
: to shrink away or crouch especially for shelter from something that menaces, domineers, or dismays
They all cowered silently in their places, seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen.—
George Orwell
George OrwellExamples of cower in a Sentence
They cowered at the sight of the gun.
She was cowering in the closet.
I cowered behind the door.
Recent Examples on the Web
Babbitt and several other rioters sought to break through the barricaded House chamber where lawmakers from both parties cowered in fear for their lives when Byrd shot her.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
The Hall might have had the independent spine to do this without MLB’s blessing, but cowered and did not.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
Colin the Janitor crawling down a hallway with his black tongue wagging at a cowering woman, and the true image of hell incarnate, Pyramid Head, literally ripping the skin suit off of live bodies should shake you to your core.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
Mills said Maine would follow state and federal law on the issue, which was not the kind of cowering Trump was looking for.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cower
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Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
The Hall might have had the independent spine to do this without MLB’s blessing, but cowered and did not.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
Colin the Janitor crawling down a hallway with his black tongue wagging at a cowering woman, and the true image of hell incarnate, Pyramid Head, literally ripping the skin suit off of live bodies should shake you to your core.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
Mills said Maine would follow state and federal law on the issue, which was not the kind of cowering Trump was looking for.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cower
Cite this Entry
“Cower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cower. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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cower
verb
cow·er
ˈkau̇(-ə)r
: to shrink away or crouch down (as from fear)
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