cowardly

1 of 2

adverb

cow·​ard·​ly ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē 

: in a cowardly manner

cowardly

2 of 2

adjective

: being, resembling, or befitting a coward

a cowardly retreat

cowardliness noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• afraid
• craven
• scared
• spineless
• gutless
• frightened
• pusillanimous
• dastardly
• unheroic
• yellow
• careful
• timid

Choose the Right Synonym for cowardly

cowardly, pusillanimous, craven, dastardly mean having or showing a lack of courage.

cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage.

a cowardly failure to stand up for principle

pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage.

the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility

craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance.

secretly despised her own craven yes-men

dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous.

a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians

Examples of cowardly in a Sentence

Adjective

He insisted on avoiding a cowardly retreat.

She made a cowardly decision to go along with the group.

a cowardly attack from behind

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

And the widespread physical destruction of Gaza, along with the deaths of thousands of civilians behind, under, and among whom the cowardly Hamas fighters have hidden, has badly tarnished Israel’s image in the eyes of the world. —Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 2025

Iger’s choice to pull Kimmel off air was not a cowardly surrender to bullying by Trump or any kind of misguided, preemptive appeasement, contrary to what misguided scolds on the left are alleging. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025

Adjective

In practice, despite his rhetoric, Israel’s longest serving prime minister’s security policy was widely seen as cautious and relatively restrained, even derided as cowardly by political rivals, who also mocked his inability to make decisive moves. —Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025

Violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cowardly

adjective

cow·​ard·​ly

ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē

1

: lacking courage : disgracefully timid

a cowardly rascal

2

: characteristic of a coward

a cowardly attack from behind

cowardly adverb

cowardliness noun