cowardice

noun

cow·​ard·​ice ˈkau̇(-ə)r-dəs How to pronounce cowardice (audio)
 dialectal  -(ˌ)dīs
: lack of courage or firmness of purpose
soldiers accused of cowardice

Examples of cowardice in a Sentence

the cowardice shown by political leaders who were willing to give the Nazis whatever they wanted
Recent Examples on the Web Haley and DeSantis, meanwhile, have accused Trump of cowardice for skipping the Iowa debate, and hope that Hawkeye State voters hold it against him. David Jackson, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024 His valedictory speech was both a scorching evisceration of his party’s cowardice in dealing with Trump and a bracing reminder of the stakes of this election. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2024 Abbas himself does not seem fit to lead the PA, and Netanyahu’s accusations of moral cowardice have validity (although the Israeli prime minister himself is hardly a profile in courage). Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 4 Jan. 2024 De Niro’s persistent Trump-bashing belligerence is a form of idiotic, bullying cowardice. Armond White, National Review, 6 Dec. 2023 None explicitly denied Wagner’s draconian disciplinary measures, which reportedly involved the execution of fighters accused of cowardice or insubordination. Oleg Matsnev Gray Beltran, New York Times, 4 Dec. 2023 Many cultures tie cowardice and bravery more to the heart or the guts than to the brain. Arash Javanbakht, Discover Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023 Because the remedy to antisocial media cowardice is a human face. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023 Of course, his notorious caution, even cowardice on these matters, could get in the way. Natan Sachs, Foreign Affairs, 28 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cowardice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cowardise, from Anglo-French coardise, from cuard — see coward

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cowardice was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cowardice

Cite this Entry

“Cowardice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowardice. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cowardice

noun
cow·​ard·​ice ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-əs How to pronounce cowardice (audio)
: lack of courage to face danger : shameful fear

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