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
-
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
Noun
-
John Cornyn is a coward who has refused to support abolishing the filibuster to pass this bill.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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John Cornyn is a coward who has refused to support abolishing the filibuster to pass this bill.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Mar. 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
-
Elizabeth Hurley isn't afraid of a re-wear.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Don't be afraid of the rainy season.—
Tom Vanderbilt,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
To watch Industry wrestle with the extreme consequences of its characters’ greedy and craven choices is to watch a series blossom with new ambition.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
2 Mar. 2026
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But to defend books coverage in these craven terms is already to concede too much.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The nagging wife, the angry daughter and the spineless detective.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
He must be impeached, but with a spineless Congress and a corrupt Supreme Court how this will happen is in grave doubt.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The facile novelty of adultery is its own mask, a sexy way of dressing up a deep, frightened longing for security.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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He wasn’t arrested, but Toni Jo was frightened enough to relinquish custody of him and return to Saudi Arabia.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The joint venture, which launched March 5, showcases a lightweight low-runner shape in four colorways (natural grey, mustard yellow, burgundy, and black), built around core principles of sustainability and minimalism—an approach both brands have long championed.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
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The stainless steel timer comes in Caraway’s core colors, including a classic cream, sage green, and mustard yellow.—
Francesca Krempa,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Poltroon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltroon. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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