as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
too chickenhearted to speak up, even though she knew a terrible injustice was being committed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chickenhearted
Adjective
-
There is no reason to be afraid.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026 -
One woman intended to use the time to order electrolytes online, another was seeking earring backs, and a third needed to find a male babysitter, as well as a summer swim program, for a four-and-a-half-year-old who is afraid of the water.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Even young raccoons can bite or scratch when frightened, and wild animals can carry parasites and diseases, says Rakestraw.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
20 June 2026
-
When customers are frustrated, frightened, confused or considering leaving, those become high-risk moments.—
Demetri Giannikopoulos,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Williams, who was sponsored by Puma at the time, wore an interpretation of the shirt at the French Open that year, complete with long, football-style yellow socks.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
On Saturday afternoon, thousands of Brazil fans, clad in highlighter yellow jerseys, made the trek to New York/New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) to watch their team play Morocco in its first game of this World Cup.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
-
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
-
Children are generally afraid of ghosts, so telling them to be scared of larger bodies is deeply problematic.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
People seem to still go to the movies for the communal experience of being scared.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
This origin tale of Don Diego Vega, and his masked adventurer/avenger alter ego Zorro, righting wrongs against craven evildoers in early-day California, was adapted into a silent movie hit in 1920.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
12 May 2026
-
It’s populated by craven, cowardly traitors.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
China walked a careful diplomatic line during the conflict.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
All that plus nightly turndown service and 24-hour room service reflect the careful attention paid to guests at Moon Palace The Grand—Cancun.—
Chelsea Adams,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Lindsey Graham is a career, corrupt, cowardly politician.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
This caused a great clamor of approval, and a modicum of tepid ooh-la-la disapproval by the folks who actually approved but who were too cowardly to say so, back in the day.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Chickenhearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chickenhearted. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
