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cowardly

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective cowardly differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of cowardly are craven, dastardly, and pusillanimous. While all these words mean "having or showing a lack of courage," cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage.

a cowardly failure to stand up for principle

When would craven be a good substitute for cowardly?

The synonyms craven and cowardly are sometimes interchangeable, but craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance.

secretly despised her own craven yes-men

When is it sensible to use dastardly instead of cowardly?

While in some cases nearly identical to cowardly, dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous.

a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians

When could pusillanimous be used to replace cowardly?

In some situations, the words pusillanimous and cowardly are roughly equivalent. However, pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage.

the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility

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 cowardly
Adjective
Trump is waging war on free speech, bullying cowardly media companies into submission. Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025 In one of his more prominent roles, Wise played the cowardly assistant to the director (Robert Klein) of the action film The Spy Who Laughed at Danger at the center of Hooper, which features Reynolds as a stunt coordinator. Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Adverb
Like other liberal historians, I’m outraged by Trump’s cowardly attacks on our guild. Jonathan Zimmerman, Twin Cities, 21 Aug. 2025 Trump is waging war on free speech, bullying cowardly media companies into submission. Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cowardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowardly
Adjective
  • When people aren’t afraid to flag phishing emails, report missteps or question suspicious behavior, organizations become more adaptive and resilient.
    Aliasgar Dohadwala, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • According to new research from SoFi, 44% of students and parents feel uninformed about student loans but are probably too afraid to ask questions.
    Brian Walsh, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • There are lots of good rebuttals to this craven move.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Texas Governor Greg Abbott is under severe pressure from President Donald Trump to restart one of the most craven and self-destructive practices of American politics in the 21st century: predatory gerrymandering.
    Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
Adverb
  • The software’s orders were often obeyed fearfully, unquestioningly.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
  • This is true for singer Jessie James Decker, who fearfully watches her athlete husband Eric Decker fall backward over a body of water.
    Liza Esquibias, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This version of Frankenstein’s monster enters the world as a frightened newborn babe, scared and curious and desperate for human affection.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
  • In fact, Vanngo wants everyone to keep in mind that makeup is meant to be played and experimented with, so don’t be scared to try a new look.
    Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.
    Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Rather than feigned civility or spineless compromise, a strong response to this prompt will show that a student has integrity and conviction, but is willing to grow and interrogate their ideas through engagement with others.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Adjective
  • Listen, by doing it this way, with a press release instead of a press conference, Rose looks both gutless and gutty at the same time.
    Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025
  • Two baseballs flew down toward the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar from the left-field corner stands, the gutless moves of two cowards.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Using towels and a garden hose fitted with a piece of wood, the rescuers guided the frightened kitten through the winding pipes.
    Ronnie Li, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
  • When 17 children from one classroom inexplicably run out into the night, a frightened insular community starts pointing fingers at their young schoolteacher (Julia Garner) and the sole survivor, Alex (Cary Christopher).
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
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

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Cite this Entry

“Cowardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowardly. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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