as in coward
a person without strength of character
the congresswoman is but a reed who bends whichever way the political winds are blowing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reed
Water levels had risen higher than expected, leaving the cyclist stranded halfway across the river — clinging to reeds with their bike as the current moved around them.
—
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Graziose kept a photo of the quartet in which Griffin looks reed-thin and sports bangs.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Exhibits over the years have showcased a heady array of musical instruments and equipment, from guitars, pianos, accordions and reed instruments to synthesizers, theremins, foot pedals, a Harpejji (a 24-string cross between a piano and a guitar) and much more.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
At the same time, Utah is working to remove a nonnative reed called phragmites, which is growing on the lake surface and sucking down twice as much water as native plants.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reed
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Graziose kept a photo of the quartet in which Griffin looks reed-thin and sports bangs.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Exhibits over the years have showcased a heady array of musical instruments and equipment, from guitars, pianos, accordions and reed instruments to synthesizers, theremins, foot pedals, a Harpejji (a 24-string cross between a piano and a guitar) and much more.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
At the same time, Utah is working to remove a nonnative reed called phragmites, which is growing on the lake surface and sucking down twice as much water as native plants.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reed
Noun
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Severance star Zach Cherry is Gary, a coward who isn’t sure he can be loved.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
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And, in a way, this coward is the only sane one.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Even after a jellyfish dies, its tentacles can continue to release venom through microscopic stinging cells.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
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When Jo arrives on the island, however, Nadia is missing, and the jellyfish appears to be much more than a mere invertebrate.—
Tessa Yang,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Ghirri’s oversize Polaroids, which increased the usual scale of his modest images to roughly tabloid size, were mounted on hefty support columns clad in coir, a jute-like material used for doormats, obviously intended to thwart any suggestion of monumentality.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Since 1980, her partner had been the kindly, worshipful Dutch actor Robert Wolders, whom Ferrer likens to a gentlemanly doormat.—
Hadley Hall Meares,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The research is entirely preclinical, meaning all findings so far come from mouse models and lab settings.—
Allison Palmer
June 4,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
The striped mouse rises up on its hind legs, an expression of measured vigilance.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
An infamous poster promoting that campaign depicted white sheep kicking their black brethren out of the frame.—
Jessi Jezewska Stevens,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
The area is home to a mind-boggling variety of wildlife; expect to see namesake Bighorn sheep, Pryor horses, and black bears, among other species.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reed. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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