as in cowardly
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
a military commander who was so poltroon that he surrendered without having fired so much as a single shot
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
those poltroons in the state legislature who have caved in to bigotry on this important issue of basic civil rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltroon
Adjective
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Qatar denounces ‘cowardly’ Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders Israel launched an aerial strike against senior Hamas leaders in Doha on Tuesday, in its first direct attack on Qatari soil, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025 -
Now innocent children are dying because so many people were too cowardly to speak up.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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So this coward had to fire from outside of the church, through the church windows and into the church.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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According to Boxing called Davis a coward for his decision.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 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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Beck has a fluid, quick throwing motion and isn’t afraid to fit the ball into tight windows.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Luckily, the 2025 Emmys shows us that, now more than ever, men aren’t afraid to show a little personality in their red carpet looks.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There are lots of good rebuttals to this craven move.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott is under severe pressure from President Donald Trump to restart one of the most craven and self-destructive practices of American politics in the 21st century: predatory gerrymandering.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
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Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.—
Sezin Devi Koehler September 1,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Republicans are frightened, too.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Farima was withdrawn and frightened.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The airport in Cap-Haïtien was calm and orderly, the streets were alive with daily commerce and children in bright yellow uniforms played together during recess.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
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However, Diggs has a yellow brick road in front of him to rewrite the narrative of his second contract with a strong start to the season and a return to prime form in 2025.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Poltroon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltroon. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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