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
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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
Big Think, 27 Nov. 2025
However, the lion later blames Elphaba for preventing him from tearing him from his home and forcing him to learn to fend for himself, which was the catalyst to his cowardly ways.
—Haley Kluge, Variety, 22 Nov. 2025
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cowardly
Adjective
Asch’s subjects weren’t especially foolish or cowardly.
—Big Think, 27 Nov. 2025
However, the lion later blames Elphaba for preventing him from tearing him from his home and forcing him to learn to fend for himself, which was the catalyst to his cowardly ways.
—Haley Kluge, Variety, 22 Nov. 2025
Adverb
Shmi, who died for nothing, the cowardly Jedi refusing to free her, refusing to interfere.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cowardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowardly
Adjective
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Others are afraid to leave their homes to do mundane things like getting groceries or shoveling snow and clearing ice from their sidewalks.—
Bao Phi,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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The lawsuit by the city and state says the campaign had a chilling effect, making residents afraid to leave home.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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So does the craven poor judgment required by any public officials who hire him.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Dec. 2025
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Unlike their cynical and craven counterparts in Texas, a majority of Indiana Republican state senators understood that short-term electoral gains weren’t worth sacrificing their principles.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
16 Dec. 2025
Adverb
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As economic uncertainty continues, financial experts break down how Black women can use investing and trading strategically—not fearfully.—
Essence,
Essence,
9 Jan. 2026
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This is about taking responsibility for your future… not fearfully, but strategically.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The birds were scared away by a resident’s dog.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
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As Hodges stood there, scared and vulnerable, the man grabbed his baton and bashed him on the head with it, rupturing his lip and smashing his skull.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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My candidacy is a symbol of the end of the weak-kneed, feckless Republican leadership of Mitch McConnell, and the spineless swamp jellyfish that are in the United States Senate representing the Republicans.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Because Republicans in Congress are spineless.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Trump and the gutless GOP Congress may be leading America into World War III.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Jan. 2026
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In a year of gutless moves by major media companies, this may be the most gutless.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The article quotes two current professors but doesn’t explore why other faculty members critical of the school were too frightened to speak on the record in what Corcoran described as a campus finally open to different opinions.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
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Freedom from fear mattered because frightened societies are easily manipulated.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Cowardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowardly. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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