cower

verb

cow·​er ˈkau̇(-ə)r 

cowered; cowering; cowers

intransitive verb

: to shrink away or crouch especially for shelter from something that menaces, domineers, or dismays

They all cowered silently in their places, seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen.

—George Orwell

Synonyms

• cringe
• flinch

Choose the Right Synonym for cower

fawn, toady, truckle, cringe, cower mean to behave abjectly before a superior.

fawn implies seeking favor by servile flattery or exaggerated attention.

waiters fawning over a celebrity

toady suggests the attempt to ingratiate oneself by an abjectly menial or subservient attitude.

toadying to his boss

truckle implies the subordination of oneself and one's desires or judgment to those of a superior.

truckling to a powerful lobbyist

cringe suggests a bowing or shrinking in fear or servility.

a cringing sycophant

cower suggests a display of abject fear in the company of threatening or domineering people.

cowering before a bully

Examples of cower in a Sentence

They cowered at the sight of the gun.

She was cowering in the closet.

I cowered behind the door.

Recent Examples on the Web

America might still be a British dependency had the Congress of 1776 feared and obeyed George III the way Donald Trump’s Republicans cower to him. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025

My pit bull Marcel cowered on the couch during the cold while the fluffier newsroom hounds frolicked in the snow. —Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025

The tiny dog appeared to cower in Bloom's lap while a clip of it aired. —Michael Nied, People.com, 11 June 2025

And rather than the matchup producing a high-stakes showdown of two teams out for blood, the Wolves have too frequently cowered into the corner. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English couren, probably from Middle Low German kūren

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cower

• bower
• dour
• flour
• flower
• fower
• glower
• hour
• our
• power
• scour
• shower
• sour

Kids Definition

cower

verb

cow·​er ˈkau̇(-ə)r 

: to shrink away or crouch down (as from fear)