poltroon 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of poltroonnext
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

poltroon

2 of 2

noun

päl-ˈtrün How to pronounce poltroon (audio)
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
  1. cowardly
  2. coward
  3. pusillanimous
  4. afraid
  5. craven
  6. spineless
  7. frightened
  8. yellow
Adjective
  • The trans actor Elliot Page plays Sinon, a poor boy from Ithaca who is brave enough to travel with Odysseus in place of the cowardly aristocrat Antinous, played by Robert Pattinson.
    — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Weiss, Maher says, told him her internal critics are too cowardly to say anything to her face.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026
Definition of cowardly
Noun
  • In reality, the refs just do the bidding of the cowards behind the curtain.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 14 July 2026
  • That’s the sign of a true coward.
    — Maria Bamford, Vulture, 23 June 2026
Definition of coward
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
  • The kind who drive across town for the right crust and aren't afraid to wait for it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
  • Don’t be afraid to volunteer for a responsibility that scares you a little.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of afraid
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
  • 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
  • Perreault-Magny said frightened and flustered migrants sometimes try to climb into his unmarked patrol pickup, mistaking it for a smuggler coming to collect them.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, the people standing beside the robot look frightened.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • The yellow metal has endured a tough six months, sitting well below its all-time high achieved earlier this year after a blistering rally that extended through and beyond 2025.
    — Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Rooms in shades of red, yellow, or beige have Cubist-style furniture and original artwork.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of yellow
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.

Browse Nearby Words

poltergeists
poltroon
poltroonery
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Cite this Entry

“Poltroon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltroon. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of poltroon for Spanish Speakers

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