as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
the pacifist was mistakenly accused of being a lily-livered coward
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Recent Examples of lily-livered
Contrary to the nationalist account, resistance has not generally been the result of America’s leaders being weak-kneed and lily-livered.
—
Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2017
Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lily-livered
Adjective
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Still, other doctors lauded the results and the potential of the pill to reach new patients, such as those who are afraid of needles.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
7 Aug. 2025
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This is what Galpin was afraid would happen to Tyler.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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The second believed the United States could attain comprehensive security through military-technological means and saw diplomacy as a quixotic or pusillanimous enterprise that dishonored and weakened the country.—
A. Wess Mitchell,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Now innocent children are dying because so many people were too cowardly to speak up.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
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The rest of the statement was full of equally cowardly equivocation.—
Sahar Mustafah
August 27,
Literary Hub,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There are lots of good rebuttals to this craven move.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott is under severe pressure from President Donald Trump to restart one of the most craven and self-destructive practices of American politics in the 21st century: predatory gerrymandering.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Social media quickly filled with images of frightened students scrambling to safety.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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Inside was a frightened white cat.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Rather than feigned civility or spineless compromise, a strong response to this prompt will show that a student has integrity and conviction, but is willing to grow and interrogate their ideas through engagement with others.—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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Today’s Republican Party is a bunch of weak, spineless cowards who cower in obedient terror at Trump’s feet.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Families are scared of being torn apart.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
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Ain’t nobody scared of them boys.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Listen, by doing it this way, with a press release instead of a press conference, Rose looks both gutless and gutty at the same time.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
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Two baseballs flew down toward the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar from the left-field corner stands, the gutless moves of two cowards.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Lily-livered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lily-livered. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
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