Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

recreant

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of recreant

1 having or showing a shameful lack of courage

  • the victors had only contempt for the recreant enemy soldiers who surrendered without firing a shot
Synonyms of recreant

chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], poltroon, pusillanimous, spineless, unheroic, yellow
Words Related to recreant

diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous

afraid, frightened, scared

careful, cautious, wary

bashful, coy, shy

feeble, soft, unmanly, weak
Near Antonyms of recreant

audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy

plucky, spirited, spunky

determined, resolute
Antonyms of recreant

brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous

2 not true in oneʼs allegiance to someone or something

  • recreant campaign workers who walked out as soon as their candidate began dropping in the polls
Synonyms of recreant

disloyal, faithless, false, fickle, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous, treacherous, unfaithful, untrue
Words Related to recreant

irresponsible, trustless, undependable, unreliable, untrustworthy

faltering, hesitant, vacillating, wavering

dubious, irresolute, uncertain

apathetic, dispassionate, uninterested
Near Antonyms of recreant

dependable, dutiful, reliable, responsible, solid, tried, tried-and-true, trustable, trustworthy, trusty

unfaltering, unhesitating, unwavering

determined, intent, resolute

confirmed, dyed-in-the-wool, inveterate, sworn

ardent, avid, enthusiastic, fervent, fervid, impassioned, passionate
Antonyms of recreant

constant, dedicated, devoted, devout, down-the-line, faithful, fast, loyal, staunch (also stanch), steadfast, steady, true

recreant

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of recreant

1 a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right

  • traditionally armies have dealt harshly with recreants, with execution being a common punishment for desertion during wartime
Synonyms of recreant

apostate, defector, deserter, renegade
Words Related to recreant

betrayer, double-crosser, quisling, traitor, traitress (or traitoress), turnabout, turncoat

abandoner, come-outer, dropout, leaver

defier, insurgent, insurrectionary, insurrectionist, mutineer, rebel, red, revolter, revolutionary, revolutionist, revolutionizer

discontent, malcontent

recusant, refusenik (also refusnik), refuser
Near Antonyms of recreant

adherent, disciple, follower, supporter

fanatic, militant, partisan (also partizan), zealot
Antonyms of recreant

loyalist

2 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 of recreant

chicken, coward, craven, cur, dastard, funk, poltroon, sissy
Words Related to recreant

defeatist, quitter

cream puff, milquetoast, pushover, pussy [slang], weakling, wimp

caitiff, snake, sneak

ostrich, scaramouch (or scaramouche)
Near Antonyms of recreant

daredevil
Antonyms of recreant

hero, stalwart, valiant

3 one who betrays a trust or an allegiance

  • a spy and recreant to his country
Synonyms of recreant

apostate, backstabber, betrayer, double-crosser, double-dealer, Judas, quisling, serpent, snake, traitor, turncoat
Words Related to recreant

accommodationist, collaborationist, collaborator, sellout, subversive, subverter

coconspirator, conspirator, intriguer, plotter, schemer

defector, deserter, renegade

blabbermouth, gossip, gossiper, gossipmonger, informant, informer, rat, rumormonger, snitch, snitcher, squealer, stool pigeon, talebearer, talker, tattler, tattletale, telltale

Learn More about recreant

  1. Dictionary: Definition of recreant

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up recreant? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games