cowardly

1 of 2

adverb

cow·​ard·​ly ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē How to pronounce cowardly (audio)
: in a cowardly manner

cowardly

2 of 2

adjective

: being, resembling, or befitting a coward
a cowardly retreat
cowardliness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for cowardly

cowardly, pusillanimous, craven, dastardly mean having or showing a lack of courage.

cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage.

a cowardly failure to stand up for principle

pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage.

the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility

craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance.

secretly despised her own craven yes-men

dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous.

a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians

Examples of cowardly in a Sentence

Adjective He insisted on avoiding a cowardly retreat. She made a cowardly decision to go along with the group. a cowardly attack from behind
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adverb
It is imperiled by a tyrannical president, a cowardly Congress and a remorseless Supreme Court. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025 From Joan of Arc to Cassidy Hutchinson, whenever men have proven too cautious, cowardly or complacent to act, women have had the courage to do the right thing. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Adjective
Those cowardly films ignore the ideological confusion and moral bankruptcy that precede political and creative failure. Armond White, National Review, 4 July 2025 And unlike the cowardly ambiguity and doubletalk toward Iran and its nuclear program in the past by Barack Obama, John Kerry, Joe Biden and Antony Blinken, Trump was clear as a bell. Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for cowardly

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cowardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowardly. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

cowardly

adjective
cow·​ard·​ly
ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē
1
: lacking courage : disgracefully timid
a cowardly rascal
2
: characteristic of a coward
a cowardly attack from behind
cowardly adverb
cowardliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cowardly

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