recreant 1 of 2

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recreant

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noun

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as in coward
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger the historian reserved his greatest contempt for those recreants who opposed the witch hunt but lacked the courage to speak out against it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recreant
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
  • Clarisse looks intimidating climbing out of a boat, as does Bushnell’s traitorous Luke, who wields a sharp-looking knife.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 24 July 2025
  • There's a delicious whodunit aspect to it, too, as the list of five potentially traitorous suspects includes the operative's own high-profile wife (Cate Blanchett).
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Noun
  • Lincoln made frequent stops in the county and tried cases there as an attorney, according to the city, and Marshall was the site of an extended dispute during the Civil War involving Union Army deserters.
    John Tuohy, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
  • Meanwhile, Byrd’s wide dramatic palette and flexible voice make the most of thankless roles as the movement’s deserter and Montgomery’s white power brokers.
    Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • According to Boxing called Davis a coward for his decision.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As security officer of the Maginot, Morrow abandons his post to kill the traitor — allowing the ship to continue its collision course into Earth.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo, who has been actively lobbying against Brazil in Washington, have both been branded as traitors by Lula supporters.
    HUSSEIN KALOUT, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Republicans are frightened, too.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Farima was withdrawn and frightened.
    Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The false assurance was more than a slip.
    Eric Tucker, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Robinson, the founder of the now-defunct anti-immigration English Defence League (EDL), was released from prison earlier this year, having been jailed for being in contempt of court by repeating false accusations about a Syrian refugee.
    Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The polar figures of 16th-century Italian choral music, Palestrina, the Apollonian master of elegant counterpoint, and Gesualdo, the violent renegade of plangent harmonies, meet on the same program presented by Miller Theater.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
  • As a result, work in the Texas House, including the passage of several bills unrelated to redistricting, ground to a halt and arrest warrants were issued for the renegade lawmakers, though these couldn't be enforced outside Texas.
    James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Recreant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recreant. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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