cowardice

noun

cow·ard·ice ˈkau̇(-ə)r-dəs

dialectal -(ˌ)dīs

Synonyms of cowardice next

: lack of courage or firmness of purpose

soldiers accused of cowardice

Example Sentences

the cowardice shown by political leaders who were willing to give the Nazis whatever they wanted

Recent Examples on the Web This will go down as one of the great acts of cowardice in the recent history of sports. —

Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2023 To point this out is not to condemn them on the grounds of cowardice. —

Gideon Lewis-kraus, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2022 The rhetoric of diversity exposes the cowardice and denial of this fundamental ideal of human decency. —

WSJ, 21 Nov. 2022 It’s not merely the emerging timelines that point to the inexcusable cowardice of local law enforcement at the scene, but the ever-growing toll of firearm deaths across the country. —

Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2022 That hate-enabling cowardice finds its purest form in aspiring House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. —

Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Dec. 2022 Covid-19 weakened America’s political immune system, leaving the country vulnerable to confusion, panic, unease and cowardice. —

Justin Hart, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2022 Though a generally emollient figure, Mr. Hunt criticized Mr. Johnson in that campaign, accusing him of cowardice for avoiding media scrutiny. —

Stephen Castle, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2022 Zelensky denounced the longer-range strikes as an act of cowardice following the messy retreat of Russian soldiers from the northeast Kharkiv region. —

Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cowardice.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.