as in fearfulness
a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger
the dastardliness of the enemy's surprise attack
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in cowardly
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
his dastardly conduct in a critical moment haunted him for the rest of his life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dastardliness
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Brooks' Spaceballs is primarily a Star Wars parody with Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his alien sidekick, Barf (John Candy), rescuing Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) from the Spaceballs – all while evading capture from the dastardly Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis).
—Grace Dean, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2025
Along the way, Glenn and Rachel’s teen daughter Abby, away at school, gets pulled into the fray, ultimately becoming an invaluable part of the effort to save Rachel and stop the criminals from a truly dastardly deed.
—John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
Our heroes go toe-to-toe with Monroe’s goons, led by Solomon (Berto Colon) as well as a terrorist group led by the dastardly Markus (Michael Malarkey) and his reluctant cousin, Tomas (Rob Heaps).
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dastardliness
Adjective
Fans of the beary lovable franchise will be delighted to discover that Hugh Grant's Phoenix Buchanan, the dastardly villain of Paddington 2, makes his return to the series.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Brooks' Spaceballs is primarily a Star Wars parody with Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his alien sidekick, Barf (John Candy), rescuing Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) from the Spaceballs – all while evading capture from the dastardly Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis).
—Grace Dean, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2025
Along the way, Glenn and Rachel’s teen daughter Abby, away at school, gets pulled into the fray, ultimately becoming an invaluable part of the effort to save Rachel and stop the criminals from a truly dastardly deed.
—John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
Our heroes go toe-to-toe with Monroe’s goons, led by Solomon (Berto Colon) as well as a terrorist group led by the dastardly Markus (Michael Malarkey) and his reluctant cousin, Tomas (Rob Heaps).
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dastardliness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dastardliness
Adjective
-
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
-
The cowardly capitulation of Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps are negative examples to be learned from.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Their children and grandchildren will read about their silence, acquiescence, and cowardice.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Complacency, cowardice and meek self-preservation won’t do here and now.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Too often, people are afraid to raise their hands for help.—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Hairston impressed at the combine in Indianapolis by running a 4.28 40-yard dash and has the speed to keep everything in front while not being afraid to get physical.—
Bryce Lazenby,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
Noun
-
Reid’s statement was striking for its sheer pusillanimity.—
Adam S. Posen,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Dec. 2015
-
What a profile in pusillanimity.—
The Editorial Board,
WSJ,
23 May 2022
Adjective
-
The Bears should be hoping other teams are scared off by Campbell’s shorter-than-ideal arms.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2025
-
But much of the problem then was that Europeans were simply not scared enough to do their part.—
Barry R. Posen,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
When a deputy arrived, the victim was shaking and frightened, the complaint said.—
Dylan Gentile,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
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The next night, her sister Gwen said Selonia became frightened when a relative who was visiting Selonia spotted Jimmy Ray Barnes near her home.—
Vladimir Duthiers, Paul LaRosa,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
In this instance, though, the Administration is not attempting to trample on powerless civil servants or migrants, or pusillanimous law firms, or universities that don’t have as much money as Harvard does.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dastardliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dastardliness. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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