as in cowardly
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
a military commander who was so poltroon that he surrendered without having fired so much as a single shot
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in coward
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger
those poltroons in the state legislature who have caved in to bigotry on this important issue of basic civil rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltroon
Adjective
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But the latest programming move by Disney should not just be seen as cowardly submission to an autocrat’s abuse of authority.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025 -
That’s exactly what Charlie’s cowardly assassin did.—
Ronald J. Hansen,
AZCentral.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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We are told that politics is for cowards, literary analysis is for women, education is a system of liberal indoctrination, brave individuals must resist the herd.—
Robert Rubsam,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
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Punk then made his entrance to confront Lynch, calling Rollins a coward for hiding behind his wife.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 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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Tempo, tempo, tempo Nix seems afraid to throw an interception.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
23 Sep. 2025
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Investors are both bullish on equities as well as being afraid that there are major downside risks, Deutsche’s Henry Allen said in a note to clients reviewed by Fortune.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 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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That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of.—
Joel Thayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The frightened campers are supposed to deliver the scares — but that only works as a set-up if the villain is lurking behind the next tree.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
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Republicans are frightened, too.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For his Art Car Boot Fair debut, Mr Doodle will arrive on a yellow American school bus completely covered in his signature doodles, present a live drawing performance, and launch signed copies of his new double picture disc vinyl record.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Joshua Applegate/WireImage via Getty Images The medical examiner's office said that when the remains were discovered, the victim was wearing a tube top, black leggings, stud earrings and a yellow bracelet.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Poltroon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltroon. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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