as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of craven
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
While health care and food assistance command the most attention, the craven assault on clean energy cannot be minimized.
—Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Missourians have the opportunity to put this craven power grab up for a vote.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for craven
Adjective
There are lots of good rebuttals to this craven move.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
While health care and food assistance command the most attention, the craven assault on clean energy cannot be minimized.
—Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Noun
Obi-Wan, the craven victor, revealing his true self.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Missourians have the opportunity to put this craven power grab up for a vote.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for craven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craven
Adjective
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Tessa Kluetz Pernell designs interiors that aren’t afraid to make a bold statement.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Rings of Power, but those are based on proven IP, at a moment when the industry seems afraid to spend big on anything but brand names.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The crowd applauds for 13 seconds both at the intense, almost Chris Farley–esque yell itself and the absurdity of Maron’s desire to be a manly coward.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Just an utter coward folding to this embarrassing paper tiger administration.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Shmi, who died for nothing, the cowardly Jedi refusing to free her, refusing to interfere.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
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My cowardly stread ended today, however.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
17 Oct. 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 one teen is scared or tired of the process, the other girl is there to encourage her.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
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One of the women, one of his first girlfriends, was very scared [to be part of the series].—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Sometimes, a frightened reaction is inexplicable.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The Japanese had cyclotrons but no nuclear lobby driven by frightened, concerned, or ambitious scientists.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In a year of gutless moves by major media companies, this may be the most gutless.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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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
Adjective
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My candidacy is a symbol of the end of the weak-kneed, feckless Republican leadership of Mitch McConnell, and the spineless swamp jellyfish that are in the United States Senate representing the Republicans.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Because Republicans in Congress are spineless.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Craven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craven. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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