as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in coward
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger
a craven who ran away and left everyone else behind to deal with the crisis
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of craven
James Folta, Literary Hub, 27 June 2025
Scheider returns as Amity Island’s beleaguered police chief, a man still forced to work with Murray Hamilton’s craven mayor, who’s somehow kept his job after keeping the beaches open during the last shark attack.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 21 June 2025
The disconnect between Trump’s stagings of brute force is striking and more than a little worrisome for those who have long thought civilian control of the military would have stopped such a craven choice.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 11 June 2025
To abet Trump’s fake reality, the craven House Republicans refused to put up a plaque honoring the police officers and others who defended the Capitol that awful day.
—Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for craven
Adjective
The craven hypocrisy of all this no longer registers for the right.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 27 June 2025
Scheider returns as Amity Island’s beleaguered police chief, a man still forced to work with Murray Hamilton’s craven mayor, who’s somehow kept his job after keeping the beaches open during the last shark attack.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 21 June 2025
The disconnect between Trump’s stagings of brute force is striking and more than a little worrisome for those who have long thought civilian control of the military would have stopped such a craven choice.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 11 June 2025
To abet Trump’s fake reality, the craven House Republicans refused to put up a plaque honoring the police officers and others who defended the Capitol that awful day.
—Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for craven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craven
Adjective
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Make sure to water regularly, especially in warmer months, and don’t be afraid to switch out plants seasonally to keep your containers fresh.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Aug. 2025
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Don’t be afraid to give your rooms multiple purposes Take advantage of the various nooks and crannies in your home.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Today’s Republican Party is a bunch of weak, spineless cowards who cower in obedient terror at Trump’s feet.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
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Now, all of these cowards that were too scared to give us a chance [want to work with us] because there’s no risk involved anymore.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Those cowardly films ignore the ideological confusion and moral bankruptcy that precede political and creative failure.—
Armond White,
National Review,
4 July 2025
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And unlike the cowardly ambiguity and doubletalk toward Iran and its nuclear program in the past by Barack Obama, John Kerry, Joe Biden and Antony Blinken, Trump was clear as a bell.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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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
Adjective
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When a United Airlines flight issued a mayday call shortly after departure, passengers onboard were doubtlessly scared.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
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For those not scared of heights, climb even higher up into the Michigan Island Light Station for panoramic views of the Apostle Islands.—
Katherine Lawless,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But Wall Street doesn't seem as frightened of tariffs anymore.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
29 July 2025
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As of Monday afternoon, Dickson still wasn’t sure whether someone punched through the window, or if her frightened dog, who heard numerous rounds of shots fired throughout the afternoon, tried to break free.—
Sofi Zeman
July 28,
Kansas City Star,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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Today’s Republican Party is a bunch of weak, spineless cowards who cower in obedient terror at Trump’s feet.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Craven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craven. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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