reed

as in coward
a person without strength of character the congresswoman is but a reed who bends whichever way the political winds are blowing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of reed Because of the weir, the 220-acre lagoon can’t flow freely to the ocean and is slowly filling with silt and reeds. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025 This reed diffuser combines notes of palo santo, clove, vetiver, and incense for a fresh yet homey essence. Ali Faccenda, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025 Given that reeds can be seen as public infrastructure that can protect the entire coast, taxpayer funding is another option. Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025 In the Danube Delta, silence reigns—broken only by pelican wings, rustling reeds, and drifting river mist that veils the labyrinth of wetlands. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reed
Noun
  • The crowd applauds for 13 seconds both at the intense, almost Chris Farley–esque yell itself and the absurdity of Maron’s desire to be a manly coward.
    John Roy, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Just an utter coward folding to this embarrassing paper tiger administration.
    Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • However, not all jellyfish are as scary.
    Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The presence of a semipermeable faunal boundary in the North Atlantic Current was suggested by the absence, below the 47th parallel, of knobless Botrynema brucei ellinorae jellyfish.
    Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Trying to talk to people like this is particularly strange in buildings and neighborhoods where wealthy New Yorkers pay to be insulated from a stray takeout flyer left on their doormat.
    Clio Chang, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Neither one was a doormat; neither one was a saint.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The researchers then replicated this outcome in mouse models — when the mice received a combination of immunotherapy drugs and an mRNA vaccine targeting the COVID-19 spike protein, their tumors became more responsive to treatment.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
  • After twenty years in New York City, the novelty of being a country mouse in the big city had worn off.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Remember Dolly the sheep, a clone born in 1996?
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Made with ultra-soft sheep fur and lined with shearling, these are about as cushioning as a pair of slippers can get.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reed. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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