craven 1 of 2

craven

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective craven differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of craven are cowardly, dastardly, and pusillanimous. While all these words mean "having or showing a lack of courage," craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance.

secretly despised her own craven yes-men

When can cowardly be used instead of craven?

The words cowardly and craven can be used in similar contexts, but cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage.

a cowardly failure to stand up for principle

When could dastardly be used to replace craven?

Although the words dastardly and craven have much in common, dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous.

a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians

In what contexts can pusillanimous take the place of craven?

While in some cases nearly identical to craven, pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage.

the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility

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 craven
Adjective
Lead actors Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Anthony Mackie share minimal chemistry, though the episode’s most craven move has to be contriving a loophole giving the romantic opposites an easy out. Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025 In the new showbiz comedy The Studio, Bryan Cranston has a recurring role as Griffin Mill, the craven movie executive played by Tim Robbins in the 1992 film The Player. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2025 In any event Marshall, a craven idiot, is a raucous, vulgar sendup of the bedrock American principle of Manifest Destiny. Tom Gliatto, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025 Actors as skillful as Ruffalo and Toni Collette, the craven leader Marshall’s imperious wife, come off pretty pushy here. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for craven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craven
Adjective
  • Like Tracy, the high school student, Jordan was afraid of the overpass.
    Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
  • Hilaria Baldwin is making sure her kids aren't afraid of what comes next.
    Hannah Sacks, People.com, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • With rising apprehension, the Cabinet kept deliberating for a couple of days while Sumner did his best to shut down jingoistic rhetoric in the Senate from politicians who demanded that Lincoln not be a coward in the face of Great Britain.
    Zaakir Tameez June 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
  • Because these cowards fear being doxed for their inhumane and unconscionable actions.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to 'take out' Iran's Supreme Leader.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 June 2025
  • Those who resort to violence to undermine our state and nation must be held accountable, and our state leaders must reinforce through decisive action that these cowardly attacks will not be tolerated.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
  • 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
  • Remember, this animal is likely scared too. Do not move toward the shark.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
  • The story itself is stripped to bone and sinew: a sleepy New England beach town that wants tourist dollars more than truth, an invisible killer in plain water, and three men — one scared sheriff, one cocky scientist, one Ahab of a fisherman — set adrift to settle nature’s score.
    Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, federal authorities are hiding, apparently too frightened of online provocateurs and in-person hecklers to do their duty in plain sight.
    Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
  • Others who live close to the jail were downright frightened.
    Chris Kenning, USA Today, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
  • An erect, sprawling, and spineless cactus, the flowers are white, fragrant, and measure 12 inches long and 8 inches wide.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 June 2025
  • Some House Democrats have called their party spineless.
    Alex Travelli, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Craven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craven. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on craven

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!