cowardice
noun
cow·ard·ice
ˈkau̇(-ə)r-dəs 
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
Khamenei’s stance is at once recalcitrant and cautious to the point of cowardice.
—
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 22 June 2025
The oldest vice, which is the root of so many others, is the cowardice involved in lying to ourselves, refusing to face difficult truths—and pressuring others to play along.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
If the rivalry ends after this season, the narrative will forever be that USC killed it with cowardice.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
Her mother found her daughter’s cowardice in the face of strangers a secret disgrace, but Constance also had a father who was happy with her and with their time together, and that likely had been her salvation.
—Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cowardice
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.
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 22 June 2025
The oldest vice, which is the root of so many others, is the cowardice involved in lying to ourselves, refusing to face difficult truths—and pressuring others to play along.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
If the rivalry ends after this season, the narrative will forever be that USC killed it with cowardice.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
Her mother found her daughter’s cowardice in the face of strangers a secret disgrace, but Constance also had a father who was happy with her and with their time together, and that likely had been her salvation.
—Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cowardice
Cite this Entry
“Cowardice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowardice. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cowardice
noun
cow·ard·ice
ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-əs
: lack of courage to face danger : shameful fear
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share