cowing

verb

present participle of cow
as in intimidating
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

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 cowing Instead of cowing Iran, the Israeli strike escalated the war. — Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowing
  1. intimidating
  2. bullying
  3. scaring
Verb
  • Although stony-faced and intimidating when first met, Stella has a softer side as well as reasons to be so bitter and brusque.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026
  • Platner, for example, hung onto support from prominent Democrats even after a report of intimidating behavior toward girlfriends.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of intimidating
Verb
  • This aggressive legal action is backfiring, as consumers perceive the large chain as bullying a smaller, beloved brand.
    — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Likewise, bullying commands are unlikely to resonate in a party not trained to follow a strongman.
    — Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
Definition of bullying
Verb
  • Maybe two or three groups of hoaxers out there at once, bumping into each other in the dark and scaring the scales off one another.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • There are multiple songs that could be (and were) covered by the Jackson 5 without scaring the teenyboppers, but Stone’s musical and lyrical depth is right there in the band’s most accessible album.
    — Al Shipley, SPIN, 7 July 2026
Definition of scaring

Browse Nearby Words

cowhiding
cowing
cowinner
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowing. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cowing

Nglish: Translation of cowing for Spanish Speakers

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