craven

adjective cra·ven \ ˈkrā-vən \

|Updated on: 3 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: craven in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of craven

1 archaic : defeated, vanquished

2 : lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted

… craven mercenaries who would not fight …
—Thomas Fleming

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craven

noun

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cravenly

adverb

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cravenness

play \ˈkrā-vən-nəs\ noun

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craven was our Word of the Day on 12/17/2007. Hear the podcast!

Examples of craven in a Sentence

a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally

Recent Examples of craven from the Web

All those smaller stories within the larger story, real ones like the craven ship owner Ismay and the band playing on, embellished legends like the Unsinkable Molly Brown, invented melodramas like Jack and Rose.

— ty burr, BostonGlobe.com, "Why do some events become historic and others fade from memory?," 24 May 2018
But their grins were as wide as their hopes were secure, whereas Isabelle is prey to sudden squalls of tears and craven entreaties.

— michelle mcnamara, The New Yorker, "“Avengers: Infinity War” and “Let the Sunshine In”," 27 Apr. 2018
In recent weeks, as Democrats racked up improbable special-election victories, and the White House’s scandals continued to metastasize, Republicans grew even more craven in their fealty to the president.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Donald Trump Has Never Been More Dangerous Than He Is Now," 21 Mar. 2018
Both claim to be the darling of California conservatives and have accused each other of craven, self-serving politics related to Republican efforts to repeal the gas tax.

— seema mehta, latimes.com, "How a California Republican Party endorsement in the governor’s race could help the GOP hang on to Congress," 3 May 2018
But that might be long enough for a sufficiently craven attorney general to fire independent staff at the Department of Justice and the FBI and quash the Mueller probe.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "How Trump’s Saturday Night Massacre Might Start With Jeff Sessions," 1 Mar. 2018
For Iannucci, who loves to mock the craven, unprincipled pursuit of power, the scenario is an antic delight and plays to his talent for hectic plot turns and (pardon the expression) rapid-fire dialogue.

— gary thompson, Philly.com, "'Death of Stalin': See it because Putin doesn't want you to, and because it's funny," 21 Mar. 2018
But the craven bunch on Capitol Hill are too busy kowtowing to the NRA to do much of anything.

— Washington Post, "Putting kids last: A time-honored Washington tradition," 15 Mar. 2018
The stakes are very different in The Death of Stalin, but the craven power struggles are recognizable, because, like laughter, these are behaviors that cut across cultures.

— sophie pinkham, The New Republic, "The Provocative Brilliance of The Death of Stalin," 29 Mar. 2018

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

Did You Know?

Craven and its synonyms "dastardly" and "pusillanimous" are all basically fancy words for "cowardly." Don't be afraid to use them - here's a little information to help you recognize the subtle distinctions in their connotations. "Craven" suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance. One might speak of "craven yes-men." "Dastardly" often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous, as in this example: "a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians." "Pusillanimous" suggests a contemptible lack of courage (e.g., "After the attack, one editorialist characterized the witnesses as 'the pusillanimous bystanders'").