1
as in afraid
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in traitorous
not true in one's allegiance to someone or something
recreant campaign workers who walked out as soon as their candidate began dropping in the polls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in deserter
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
a spy and recreant to his country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recreant
Adjective
-
Hundreds of volunteers have packed and delivered grocery boxes to families too afraid to leave their homes.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026 -
People are so afraid to go out and participate in public life regardless of their citizenship status.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Russell fabricates a lie with the rest of the villains, and the heroes believe it, despite a warning from one traitorous tribemate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
-
That video drew the ire of President Donald Trump, who deemed it traitorous.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
25 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
This notably happened during the Civil War with enlistment bounties to track down deserters.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Harry Truman granted amnesty to certain World War II deserters, while Jimmy Carter granted pardons to hundreds of thousands of individuals who dodged the draft during the Vietnam War.—
Stewart Ulrich,
The Conversation,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Please do not take the coward’s way.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
-
And Trump calls ’em almost like cowards.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Rinna was the second traitor to be banished this season, following TV personality Donna Kelce.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Other must reads For centuries, Malinche was vilified in Mexico as the ultimate traitor.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The student’s grandmother, who also lived in the home and was caring for the infant, was too frightened to pick up the older child at school, so officials scrambled to find the child’s uncle.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Firefighters immediately arrived at the scene and pulled frightened residents from windows, stairwells, and elevator shafts as the building erupted into flames.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Their most recent lawsuit alleges trademark infringement and counterfeiting, along with false designation of origin and seeks unspecified damages from the online sellers.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
-
His reflections on the controversies and critical snubbings that greeted movies that have since become consensus masterpieces are nuanced without descending into false modesty.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Holding hands, terrace kisses and renegade servants?—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This growing group of renegade traders maintain that core truths emerge only after thousands of people express their opinions with their pocketbooks.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
17 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Recreant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recreant. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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