as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
a cowardly bully who picks on the weak and defenseless vile charges that were made in a cowardly, unsigned letter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in cravenly
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of cowardly
Ruth Fremson, New York Times, 3 May 2025
At the height of the blacklist, network executives had been cowardly; sponsors had folded without hesitation.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
The cowardly capitulation of Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps are negative examples to be learned from.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cowardly
Adjective
While some hailed those who went to Canada as principled, others considered them cowardly.
—Ruth Fremson, New York Times, 3 May 2025
At the height of the blacklist, network executives had been cowardly; sponsors had folded without hesitation.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Adverb
Those who resort to violence to undermine our state and nation must be held accountable, and our state leaders must reinforce through decisive action that these cowardly attacks will not be tolerated.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
The cowardly capitulation of Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps are negative examples to be learned from.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cowardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowardly
Adjective
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The premise is that America is caught in a bind between a political left that’s too afraid of growth and a political right that hates government investment and involvement.—
Scott Peters,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
-
The revelation helps explain why the giant snakes — which can grow to 18 feet in Florida — are not afraid to swallow creatures that are nearly equal in size, experts say.—
Mark Price
July 11,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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While health care and food assistance command the most attention, the craven assault on clean energy cannot be minimized.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 July 2025
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The craven hypocrisy of all this no longer registers for the right.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
There’s people that are getting into trouble because the powers that be are scared, too.—
Mario Koran,
jsonline.com,
12 July 2025
-
Most notable in the repeat of Man of Steel elements and themes, there’s the Kryptonian message threatening earth, which makes the public scared, so Superman turns himself in to government authorities.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Today’s Republican Party is a bunch of weak, spineless cowards who cower in obedient terror at Trump’s feet.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
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An erect, sprawling, and spineless cactus, the flowers are white, fragrant, and measure 12 inches long and 8 inches wide.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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Listen, by doing it this way, with a press release instead of a press conference, Rose looks both gutless and gutty at the same time.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
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Two baseballs flew down toward the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar from the left-field corner stands, the gutless moves of two cowards.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Audience noises at the NRG Stadium in Houston went from frightened gasps to applause as the descent was completed.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
29 June 2025
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Things were hectic in the mall, Stain, 45, said, with lots of frightened people running to the exits.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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The second believed the United States could attain comprehensive security through military-technological means and saw diplomacy as a quixotic or pusillanimous enterprise that dishonored and weakened the country.—
A. Wess Mitchell,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The bi-tone bezel, incidentally, is the key to keeping track of dastardly deeds in two different time zones simultaneously.—
Chris Haslam,
Wired News,
23 May 2025
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Naturally, this doesn't last long, and he gets called in to help nab the elusive arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) — the most dastardly villain he's faced yet.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cowardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowardly. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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