coward 1 of 2

noun

ˈkau̇(-ə)rd How to pronounce coward (audio)
Definition of cowardnext
as in craven
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger the soldiers who ran as soon as the first shots were fired were branded as cowards

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

coward

2 of 2

adjective

as in cowardly

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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 coward
Noun
Severance star Zach Cherry is Gary, a coward who isn’t sure he can be loved. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026 And, in a way, this coward is the only sane one. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026
Adjective
Whoomp, whoomp bumped the coward heart. — James Arthur, The New York Review of Books, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for coward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coward
  1. craven
  2. cowardly
  3. chicken
  4. gutless
  5. pusillanimous
Noun
  • This measure is a craven, deceptive, regressive, and destructive push to gut local control and services, and hand power to a barely accountable central government in Tallahassee.
    — Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
  • In 2024, The Onion purchased Infowars, the conspiracy website born of the craven lunatic/Sandy Hook shooting denier Alex Jones.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of craven
Adjective
  • The trans actor Elliot Page plays Sinon, a poor boy from Ithaca who is brave enough to travel with Odysseus in place of the cowardly aristocrat Antinous, played by Robert Pattinson.
    — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Weiss, Maher says, told him her internal critics are too cowardly to say anything to her face.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026
Definition of cowardly
Noun
  • Bay Area-founded Starbird and its signature chicken — tenders, wings, nuggets, sandwiches, salads, wraps and more — will be available in the coming months at that corner of Mowry Avenue and Fremont Boulevard, the company has confirmed.
    — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Menu offerings include appetizers such as Dungeness crab cakes and lobster corn dogs, and entrées such as crispy chicken Milanese, honey miso glazed salmon and a signature Skywalker Ranch Wagyu burger.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of chicken
Adjective
  • Trump’s revenge tour also took down five Indiana state senators who had voted against the midterm gerrymandering to which Florida’s gutless Republicans have agreed.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 May 2026
  • Keane called out the Red Wings as gutless for waiting for a home game to exact revenge.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 28 May 2026
Definition of gutless
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
Definition of pusillanimous

Browse Nearby Words

cow
coward
cowardice
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coward. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of coward for Spanish Speakers

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