Definition of recreantnext
1
2

recreant

2 of 2

noun

1
2
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

3

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recreant
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
Adjective
  • Telemachus’ lone contribution is killing Melanthius, the traitorous Ithacan farmhand, thus preventing him from continuing to arm the suitors.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • And at the very center of Hell is Satan himself, the traitorous Archangel Lucifer, depicted as a monstrous creature with wings and three heads.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • And within his own country’s history, particularly, Dhont discovered the fates that met would-be deserters who were caught — brutal sentences often leading to death.
    David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
  • The love story of a Confederate deserter (Jude Law) journeying back to his North Carolina home and his love (Nicole Kidman) drives the Civil War drama.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
  • His tenure was upended by the arrest of Aldrich Ames, a CIA traitor.
    Bob Drogin, Washington Post, 22 July 2026
  • In reality, the big debate has been about questions such as whether military bases should be named for traitors and whether governments should host monuments to a rebellion to defend slavery.
    David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Adjective
  • Witnesses are often too frightened of the cartels to testify in court.
    Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • When Odysseus’ men arrive at Circe’s home, hungry, asking to be fed, Circe seems frightened — understandably so.
    Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Adjective
  • Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to stabbing four University of Idaho students to death and waived his right to appeal, is now seeking post-conviction relief by claiming his plea was false.
    Chadd Cripe. Produced with AI assistance, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
  • On Friday, Tench was arrested on 99 felony charges, which include 33 counts of bid-rigging, 33 of first-degree forgery and 33 of filing false documents.
    Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Wang plays down the potential for renegade robots to wreak havoc.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 July 2026
  • In short, this list reminded me that our radicals and renegades are the best thing about this great nation.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
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

Cite this Entry

“Recreant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recreant. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster