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
Relevance
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 dastardly
Having witnessed his parents' murder at a young age by the villainous Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), Love and his gang seek out the dastardly criminal, recently freed from prison.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
The dastardly delicious reality show, The Traitors, is back with a vengeance for its fourth season, and my mom and I are devouring every episode while rapid-fire texting each other from our respective couches in Cleveland and Los Angeles.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
The dastardly whalers brutally kill the Tulkun, and Quaritch joins a whaling expedition to snuff out Jake Sully and his family.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
But the couple have yet to conceive an heir, so when Jerome absconds and his dashing friend Manfred (Galitzine) arrives with dastardly intentions, Hero (Corrin), Cherry’s wily and loyal maid, is forced to concoct a plan to distract Manfred by telling captivating stories about rebellious women.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dastardly
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
The dastardly delicious reality show, The Traitors, is back with a vengeance for its fourth season, and my mom and I are devouring every episode while rapid-fire texting each other from our respective couches in Cleveland and Los Angeles.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
The dastardly whalers brutally kill the Tulkun, and Quaritch joins a whaling expedition to snuff out Jake Sully and his family.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
But the couple have yet to conceive an heir, so when Jerome absconds and his dashing friend Manfred (Galitzine) arrives with dastardly intentions, Hero (Corrin), Cherry’s wily and loyal maid, is forced to concoct a plan to distract Manfred by telling captivating stories about rebellious women.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dastardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dastardly
Adjective
-
On the flat arid plains below lives the farming community of the Bezaris, who are generally seen by the Hazerans as a group of privileged, cowardly usurers.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
-
We will not be defined by the cowardly acts, but instead be defined by our unwavering response and our resolve to defeat them.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Part of the answer should involve consideration of how goods can be distributed safely to families afraid of being exposed.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Twice in January, Fridley had to cancel classes because so many students and staff were afraid to come to school, according to the motion.—
Aki Nace,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But to defend books coverage in these craven terms is already to concede too much.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Assad’s betrayal was so breathtakingly craven that some people had trouble believing it at first.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Seniors are scared for their Social Security and Medicare.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Even so, what a jolt to finally see Duvall’s pale, blond Boo hiding behind a door as though (justly) scared of the spotlight.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In a crisis, Tori puts those life-saving skills to use, transforming from a frightened and threatened young woman into a fierce warrior.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Slowly round your back toward the ceiling, tucking your chin slightly and drawing your belly button in (like a frightened cat).—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
26 Feb. 2026
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
-
Walking through its yellow halls was exactly like Paco detailed it, proving that listening to locals isn’t just about avoiding the obvious spots.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
According to a district news release, Farmers Markets were set up on the school blacktops with tables of produce such as red apples, orange citrus, yellow squash, green broccoli and purple cabbage forming a rainbow of fruits and veggies.—
Del Mar Times,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That larger significance is remarkably unheroic and fatalistic.—
Gabriel Winslow-Yost,
Harper's Magazine,
23 Sep. 2024
-
In the world of The Boys, based on the gleefully scabrous 2000s indie comic-book series of the same name by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson, superheroes are real, pop-culture-dominating, and with rare exceptions, entirely unheroic.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
13 June 2024
Cite this Entry
“Dastardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dastardly. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
