as in intimidating
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
a sharp glare cowed the child into being quiet
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Recent Examples of cowing
Instead of cowing Iran, the Israeli strike escalated the war.
—
Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowing
Verb
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Without a baseline of knowledge, climate tech can feel abstract or intimidating.—
Cyril PETIT,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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These barriers are especially intimidating when brands are looking to expand internationally — operational missteps can often lead to growth stagnation.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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August is a violent, domineering, bullying boss who starves and beats the animals in his circus and doesn’t treat his human workers much better.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2026
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Keefer has emphasized student achievement and school safety, pointing to his support for programs focused on bullying prevention, suicide prevention and substance-use prevention as a Trustee.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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That combination—higher costs, fewer flights, and steady demand—has given airlines more room to raise fares without scaring off travelers.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 May 2026
-
Schwarzenegger’s strategy energized Californians who wanted to punish incumbent Democrats, but avoided scaring too many of the state’s median voters.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowing. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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