cowardice

noun

cow·​ard·​ice ˈkau̇(-ə)r-dəs How to pronounce cowardice (audio)
 dialectal  -(ˌ)dīs
: lack of courage or firmness of purpose
soldiers accused of cowardice

Examples of cowardice in a Sentence

the cowardice shown by political leaders who were willing to give the Nazis whatever they wanted
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My silence felt like cowardice, stemming from a fear of alienation, of feeling unsafe—exactly what the ADL, unironically, pledges to ameliorate in school settings. Sahar Mustafah august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025 The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible. Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 27 Aug. 2025 The sheer cruelty and cowardice, firing into a church full of children, is absolutely incomprehensible. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025 To dismiss that because of the greater good that followed is moral cowardice plain and simple. Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cowardice

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cowardise, from Anglo-French coardise, from cuard — see coward

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cowardice was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cowardice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowardice. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

cowardice

noun
cow·​ard·​ice ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-əs How to pronounce cowardice (audio)
: lack of courage to face danger : shameful fear

More from Merriam-Webster on cowardice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!