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 of cowardly

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

Rhode Island ice rink attack: 2 dead, 3 injured after shooting at youth hockey game Where was the mailman shooting in Georgia? 'A very cowardly move' Graves' grieving family this week urged the shooter to turn themselves in to law enforcement. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026

Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. —Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026

Adjective

It’s populated by craven, cowardly traitors. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026

Thomas Jefferson, the great hero of the Declaration of Independence, is shown as hypocritical, cowardly, manipulative, a schemer of every kind. —David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026

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