as in fearfulness
a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger
the cowardice shown by political leaders who were willing to give the Nazis whatever they wanted
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Recent Examples of cowardice
But there is a certain level of caution, and maybe even occasionally cowardice, in how these political topics are handled.
—
Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Trump’s accelerationist instincts, the zeal of his fan base, and the complicity, cowardice, and inaction of the Democratic Party in the face of the governing Republican trifecta made the possibility of a military dictatorship in the United States seem borderline plausible.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The censoring of artists and cancellation of shows is an act of cowardice.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025
This is a courageous act that requires vulnerability over cowardice.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cowardice
Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Trump’s accelerationist instincts, the zeal of his fan base, and the complicity, cowardice, and inaction of the Democratic Party in the face of the governing Republican trifecta made the possibility of a military dictatorship in the United States seem borderline plausible.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The censoring of artists and cancellation of shows is an act of cowardice.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025
This is a courageous act that requires vulnerability over cowardice.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cowardice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowardice
pusillanimity
Noun
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Given the President’s long-standing support for corporate tax cuts and deregulation of industry, this pusillanimity is perhaps not so surprising.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
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Our logrolling, our stumps and their politics, our fisheries, our Negroes and Indians, our boasts and our repudiations, the wrath of rogues and the pusillanimity of honest men, the northern trade, the southern planting, the western clearing, Oregon, and Texas, are yet unsung.—
Mark Edmundson,
Harper’s Magazine ,
12 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Cowardice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowardice. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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