as in cowards
a person without strength of character
the congresswoman is but a reed who bends whichever way the political winds are blowing
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Recent Examples of reeds
The pit band has the two keyboards, violin, reeds and brass that are customary for Broadway tours.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026
On the Peruvian side, travelers can visit the Uros floating islands, the artificial islets woven from totora reeds and home to communities that have lived here for centuries, then settle into a rustic homestay at Amantaní for a quieter look at life on the lake.
—Carla Vianna, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
Blood is as much a part of this landscape as the honeysuckle reeds.
—Keith Sharon, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Wicker refers to the method of weaving—most outdoor wicker furniture features materials such as rattan, raffia, bamboo, and willow reeds.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
Water levels had risen higher than expected, leaving the cyclist stranded halfway across the river — clinging to reeds with their bike as the current moved around them.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Linas, a runner, started the Creek Team OC Instagram account after noticing changes on his runs along San Juan and Trabuco creeks, where lush green reeds suddenly turned brown and lifeless.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The protagonist is a nine-year-old girl named Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), who lives with her grandmother (Waheed Thabet Khreibat), in a mudhif, a house of twisted reeds, in Iraq’s southern marshlands.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Dozens of kayakers lined up beneath the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge on a clear, chilly Saturday morning, preparing to paddle through the San Diego River Estuary’s shallow reeds in search of trash threatening one of the region’s most important wildlife habitats.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026
On the Peruvian side, travelers can visit the Uros floating islands, the artificial islets woven from totora reeds and home to communities that have lived here for centuries, then settle into a rustic homestay at Amantaní for a quieter look at life on the lake.
—Carla Vianna, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
Blood is as much a part of this landscape as the honeysuckle reeds.
—Keith Sharon, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Wicker refers to the method of weaving—most outdoor wicker furniture features materials such as rattan, raffia, bamboo, and willow reeds.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
Water levels had risen higher than expected, leaving the cyclist stranded halfway across the river — clinging to reeds with their bike as the current moved around them.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Linas, a runner, started the Creek Team OC Instagram account after noticing changes on his runs along San Juan and Trabuco creeks, where lush green reeds suddenly turned brown and lifeless.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The protagonist is a nine-year-old girl named Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), who lives with her grandmother (Waheed Thabet Khreibat), in a mudhif, a house of twisted reeds, in Iraq’s southern marshlands.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Dozens of kayakers lined up beneath the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge on a clear, chilly Saturday morning, preparing to paddle through the San Diego River Estuary’s shallow reeds in search of trash threatening one of the region’s most important wildlife habitats.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeds
Noun
-
These are American cowards that are rooting against our Country.—
Khaled Wassef,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
And Trump calls ’em almost like cowards.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Even after a jellyfish dies, its tentacles can continue to release venom through microscopic stinging cells.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
-
When Jo arrives on the island, however, Nadia is missing, and the jellyfish appears to be much more than a mere invertebrate.—
Tessa Yang,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Ghirri’s oversize Polaroids, which increased the usual scale of his modest images to roughly tabloid size, were mounted on hefty support columns clad in coir, a jute-like material used for doormats, obviously intended to thwart any suggestion of monumentality.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Perennial doormats, the Braves slowly attracted fans nationwide through their superstation exposure.—
David Bauder,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The work on the African striped mice is one of four research projects listed as finalists for this year’s Dolittle Prize.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
Singing mice Singing mice live high in the cloud forests of Costa Rica, engaging in chirping call-and-response duets that can change slightly depending on responses received.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
An infamous poster promoting that campaign depicted white sheep kicking their black brethren out of the frame.—
Jessi Jezewska Stevens,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
The area is home to a mind-boggling variety of wildlife; expect to see namesake Bighorn sheep, Pryor horses, and black bears, among other species.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reeds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeds. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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