lily-livered

adjective

ˈli-lē-ˈli-vərd How to pronounce lily-livered (audio)
Definition of lily-liverednext
as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage the pacifist was mistakenly accused of being a lily-livered coward

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 lily-livered Contrary to the nationalist account, resistance has not generally been the result of America’s leaders being weak-kneed and lily-livered. — Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lily-livered
  1. afraid
  2. pusillanimous
  3. cowardly
  4. craven
  5. frightened
  6. spineless
  7. scared
  8. gutless
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said all three women knew Lux by name and appearance, and one reported more than 50 encounters that authorities said escalated over time, eventually leaving employees afraid to work around him.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
  • But defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard and LBs coach Shaun Dion Hamilton aren’t afraid to play rookies.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of afraid
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
Definition of pusillanimous
Adjective
  • Nikki is critical of the latter, calling it selfish and cowardly.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Or maybe the problem is Cape Fear itself for being too cowardly to commit to the certainty that drove the previous versions of this story.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Definition of cowardly
Adjective
  • Not an inspiration for craven pundits and politicians to use players as divisive avatars.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • In 2024, The Onion purchased Infowars, the conspiracy website born of the craven lunatic/Sandy Hook shooting denier Alex Jones.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of craven
Adjective
  • Perel compares the moment facing today’s executives to the one facing a parent with a frightened child.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 17 July 2026
  • The bear, seemingly frightened, quickly turns away from the boy and continues running, sliding under a boat parked in the driveway.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • And now the nation will probably never get back to normal because a spineless GOP can never admit that it’s been conned.
    — Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 22 May 2026
  • Some of Thomas’s critique appeared to be aimed at weak-willed conservatives, including his fellow-Justices, for being, as Thomas perceives it, too spineless to stand up for the ideals enshrined in the Declaration.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
Definition of spineless
Adjective
  • Òdódó’s transformation from a naïve and scared young woman into a powerful and influential queen at the king’s court is both remarkable and realistic, and so is her complex relationship with her husband (and captor).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
  • Some nights, when he was stressed or scared, Jean would tell him stories.
    — Juliet Linderman, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • Trump’s revenge tour also took down five Indiana state senators who had voted against the midterm gerrymandering to which Florida’s gutless Republicans have agreed.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 May 2026
  • Keane called out the Red Wings as gutless for waiting for a home game to exact revenge.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 28 May 2026
Definition of gutless

Browse Nearby Words

lilts
lily-livered
lily-white
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Cite this Entry

“Lily-livered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lily-livered. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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