Entry Word: cowardly

Function: adjective

Meaning: having or showing a shameful lack of courage <a cowardly bully who picks on much smaller kids> <vile charges that were made in a cowardly, unsigned letter>

Synonyms chicken, chickenhearted, craven, dastardly, lily-livered, pusillanimous, recreant, spineless, unheroic, yellow

Related Words diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous; afraid, frightened, scared; careful, cautious, wary; bashful, coy, shy; feeble, soft, weak

Near Antonyms audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy; plucky, spirited, spunky; determined, resolute

Antonyms brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous