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Recent Examples of cowering
Selome Hailu, Variety, 1 June 2026
The Wolves will retreat to their corner, bandage some wounds and aim to actually come out swinging Friday after cowering in the corner for the bulk of Game 2.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
Appraisal will rely on the extent of your Radiohead fandom and your identification with creature-characters, often crying or cowering with their head in their hands, who are unremittingly sad and ashamed and embarrassed by the barbarism of simple existence.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026
The latest release, Resident Evil Requiem, tries to appeal to both sides by starring a new character, the cowering FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, and a series favorite, action hero Leon Kennedy.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
His crackdown has more than a few similarities with a military invasion of some cities, his roundups have left immigrant communities cowering and their neighbors defiant.
—Phil Elliott, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
The homeless man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in a Manhattan apartment building was found cowering in a closet in upstate New York when cops zeroed in on his location, prosecutors said Thursday.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
In some sense, there’s a palpable disgust that this community has responded not by cowering, not by submitting, not by being grateful for this sort of armed invasion that is meant to stress everyone out, but by trying to foil it.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
Goetz saw two female passengers on the ground, paralyzed and cowering in fear.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
With several strippers, patrons and employees cowering in fear, the two men talk.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 1 June 2026
The Wolves will retreat to their corner, bandage some wounds and aim to actually come out swinging Friday after cowering in the corner for the bulk of Game 2.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
Appraisal will rely on the extent of your Radiohead fandom and your identification with creature-characters, often crying or cowering with their head in their hands, who are unremittingly sad and ashamed and embarrassed by the barbarism of simple existence.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026
The latest release, Resident Evil Requiem, tries to appeal to both sides by starring a new character, the cowering FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, and a series favorite, action hero Leon Kennedy.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
His crackdown has more than a few similarities with a military invasion of some cities, his roundups have left immigrant communities cowering and their neighbors defiant.
—Phil Elliott, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
The homeless man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in a Manhattan apartment building was found cowering in a closet in upstate New York when cops zeroed in on his location, prosecutors said Thursday.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
In some sense, there’s a palpable disgust that this community has responded not by cowering, not by submitting, not by being grateful for this sort of armed invasion that is meant to stress everyone out, but by trying to foil it.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
Goetz saw two female passengers on the ground, paralyzed and cowering in fear.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowering
Adjective
-
Re-wash and dry the garment, using these tips to avoid re-shrinking, to prevent a residue from the conditioner from setting.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
More comics journalism from Life Kit Still cringing about that awkward moment?—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
25 May 2026
-
Try and get through this one without cringing.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
The submissive Colin finds new confidence and enjoys doing assorted things for Ray, but complications arise when Colin begins to want something more emotional.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
-
This is a strategy born not of manly strength, but of submissive desperation.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Without flinching, the two plunged into the waves to rescue the woman.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
-
Knorr and other team officials were in the room, but Stammen helped lead it without flinching.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That amendment had been made a dead letter by Jim Crow state legislatures and an acquiescent Supreme Court.—
Robert D. Bland,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Trump is the most corrupt and scandal-plagued president since Nixon; indeed, his fiascoes eclipse Nixon’s, but many of them remain mostly or somewhat hidden, thanks in part to a much more acquiescent Republican Congress than the one Nixon had.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This film, so seemingly unassertive, apparently rambling and plotless, has a devastating impact and aftershock.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Accommodating, which is unassertive and cooperative, prioritizes the needs and preferences of others over one’s own in order to maintain harmony.—
Ellen Choi,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Between organization-hero packing cubes, anti-theft wallets, and TSA-compliant travel bottles, any of the below products will keep your belongings neatly stored and safe from takeoff to touchdown.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
22 June 2026
-
Changing tables and sinks will be in the ADA-compliant units, alongside menstrual products.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
The general reaction from my colleagues seemed to be a resigned sense that chaos is the new norm.—
Paul Knoepfler,
STAT,
21 May 2026
-
Liz Alvarado skillfully broadens this figure from a resigned, knowing older woman committed to marrying for security, to believably revealing dormant feelings within her that tamped down her first-and-only true enamorado Diego.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cowering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowering. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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