as in frightened
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
a sharp glare cowed the child into being quiet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in intimidated
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Recent Examples of cowed
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
If the Democrats are cowed by that threat, their leaders are not showing it.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Quoting the president's message, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, said his city would not be cowed by threats of military deployment.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 6 Sep. 2025
CEOs are cowed by the list, the FT’s Gillian Tett says.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
My hunch is that many who in private criticize Israel or America’s support for Israel never say a word in public, cowed into silence by the sword of Damocles hanging over them — the omnipresent threat of charges of antisemitism.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
In each of these instances, Trump wants power and the majority Republicans in Congress have been too cowed to resist him.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2025
The set’s background changed to a gaudy gold, Stewart played the role of an obsequious and cowed host who is terrified of saying the wrong thing on air (not entirely unlike how his former TDS colleague Stephen Colbert would play a right-wing character on the show).
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
Levy, for his part, does seem honestly fascinated and a little cowed by spending time with William, but that humility feels just as weird.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
If the Democrats are cowed by that threat, their leaders are not showing it.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Quoting the president's message, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, said his city would not be cowed by threats of military deployment.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 6 Sep. 2025
CEOs are cowed by the list, the FT’s Gillian Tett says.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
My hunch is that many who in private criticize Israel or America’s support for Israel never say a word in public, cowed into silence by the sword of Damocles hanging over them — the omnipresent threat of charges of antisemitism.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
In each of these instances, Trump wants power and the majority Republicans in Congress have been too cowed to resist him.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2025
The set’s background changed to a gaudy gold, Stewart played the role of an obsequious and cowed host who is terrified of saying the wrong thing on air (not entirely unlike how his former TDS colleague Stephen Colbert would play a right-wing character on the show).
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowed
Verb
-
Alarr’s unwelcome physical touching made Plaintiff feel offended, uncomfortable, humiliated and intimidated.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The Dodgers are a great team, but the Phillies are likely not looking at them and feeling intimidated.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Not to the extent that the user is necessarily being browbeaten.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Surveys have shown that lawsuit ads have frightened people away from taking prescribed medications for serious conditions ranging from diabetes to depression.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Like the Earth sign, the righteous dog detective Scooby doesn't appreciate confrontation and gets frightened in scary situations.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
One answer was to build a Jewish state; the other, to fight for the emancipation of all oppressed people through universalist, often left-wing, politics.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
-
To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
She’s being bullied at school due to the fact her psychic gifts that helped solve The Grabber case are no longer a secret.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Enter Billy, played by Dacre Montgomery, a troubled California transplant who bullied his younger step-sister, Max, and her friends.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That material comes from sand, crushed brick and recycled glass, all locally sourced.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
-
This recipe calls for scooping out two cups of the bean-and-onion mixture, blending it with crushed tortilla chips, and then returning it to the pot.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The movie flattening Carrie into someone downtrodden and fragile, rather than standoffish and conflicted, makes the whole resolution feel a little too clean.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Daniel asked, looking at the viewers with a downtrodden facial expression.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cowed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowed. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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