cow

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cow different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of cow are browbeat, bulldoze, bully, and intimidate. While all these words mean "to frighten into submission," cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost.

not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business

When is it sensible to use browbeat instead of cow?

The words browbeat and cow can be used in similar contexts, but browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment.

browbeat the witness into a contradiction

In what contexts can bulldoze take the place of cow?

While in some cases nearly identical to cow, bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats.

bulldozed the city council into approving the plan

Where would bully be a reasonable alternative to cow?

Although the words bully and cow have much in common, bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior.

bullied into giving up their lunch money

When can intimidate be used instead of cow?

While the synonyms intimidate and cow are close in meaning, intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another.

intimidated by so many other bright freshmen

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cow The 2019 strikes did not cow Pakistan or separatist militants; the cycle of attack and reprisal persists, with each incident raising the stakes for escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Sushant Singh, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025 Lazzarini promised that the agency would not be cowed by Israel’s actions. Eugenia Yosef and Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025 And there’s no money to compensate for the damage that the mere presence of wolves does to cow herds. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025 At a time like this, people who occupy positions of power and visibility — members of Congress, university presidents, top editors and CEOs of major media enterprises, senior partners in major law firms — must not cow to Trump’s threats. Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cow
Verb
  • Her longstanding reputation for being intimidating was thought to have inspired Miranda Priestly's character in The Devil Wears Prada, a book written by her former assistant Lauren Weisberger and later made into a movie starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep.
    Colleen Kratofil, People.com, 26 June 2025
  • How Unions are Stepping in to Fill Governance Gaps Unions have observed that many workers feel intimidated by the technical nature of AI and are uneasy when discussing their concerns with their employers.
    Oludolapo Makinde, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • In the extreme, influencers are building social-media empires by bullying women into cutting calories and exercising for hours a day.
    Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025
  • One more user reminded viewers to learn from the online bullying fellow islander Huda Mustafa, a 24-year-old from Raleigh, North Carolina, faced earlier in the season.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • The woman inside banged pots and pans and screamed at the bear to try to frighten it away, officials said.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
  • Winston Churchill said the U-boat peril was the only thing that really frightened him during World War II.
    Carl Burdette, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • The camper attempted to scare off the bear by banging pots and pans and screaming at the bear.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 27 June 2025
  • The chemistry is real, but Nic scares me for Olandria.
    Julia Moore, People.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Powell’s term as Fed chief ends in May 2026 and Trump has made no secret of his desire to replace him, badgering him repeatedly on social media and in interviews.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 26 June 2025
  • There was no begging or badgering for billions in public funds.
    David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Driver hit a pole after cicada startled them The crash happened around 1:48 p.m. on June 11 in Blue Ash, a suburb of Cincinnati, according to a crash report obtained by USA TODAY.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 14 June 2025
  • At one point, before anyone could intervene, the baby startled my dog, and my dog reacted by biting him.
    Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cow. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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