UNHEROIC Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

unheroic

adjective

ˌən-hi-ˈrō-ik

Definition of unheroic

as in cowardly

having or showing a shameful lack of courage the new biography casts the romanticized outlaw in a much more vicious and unheroic light

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of unheroic Yes, Arsenal fan Neel from New Delhi held his nerve on the final day to shake off the persistent and heroic challenge of six-year-old Wilfred — and the meandering, distinctly unheroic challenge of a 51-year-old journalist. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 26 May 2026 That larger significance is remarkably unheroic and fatalistic. — Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024 In the world of The Boys, based on the gleefully scabrous 2000s indie comic-book series of the same name by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson, superheroes are real, pop-culture-dominating, and with rare exceptions, entirely unheroic. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2024 From the costumes to the makeup, from visual effects to sound design, the goal was to be as realistic as possible and underscore the movie’s anti-war and deliberately unheroic depiction of an ordinary soldier in battle. — Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unheroic

Adjective

To know that a torture as violent as rape is about to happen ‘upstairs’ and not do ANYTHING ABOUT IT, is sick, cowardly and cold.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
In the case stood the cowardly lion's costume from the original film The Wizard of Oz from 1938.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of cowardly

Adjective

Despite not registering a goal or an assist in just over an hour on the pitch, the youngster was never afraid to receive the ball and try to make something happen.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
As in the past, the show’s creators are seemingly not afraid to bite the hand that feeds them.

— Tom Tapp, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of afraid

Adjective

Did my eyes widen, revealing a craven journalist ready to pounce on an exclusive?

— Jason Sheeler, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
She was especially hurt that some of the people who criticized Cox most harshly, dismissing him as craven and disingenuous, were those who had the closest relationships with him.

— McKay Coppins, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of craven

Adjective

Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.

— Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
The second believed the United States could attain comprehensive security through military-technological means and saw diplomacy as a quixotic or pusillanimous enterprise that dishonored and weakened the country.

— A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025

Definition of pusillanimous

Adjective

But others remain scared about losing coverage, including Heather Reel, who attended a rally at the state capitol in July to push back against Montana's early rollout.

— Aaron Bolton, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Cooper, for his part, acts all scared when Kat mentions visiting him and Gen in Fort Lauderdale.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of scared

Adjective

Forget about the networks, the streaming money is just going to continue to get bigger, especially at a time when there are almost as many pay channels as there are gutless members of Congress.

— Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Trump’s revenge tour also took down five Indiana state senators who had voted against the midterm gerrymandering to which Florida’s gutless Republicans have agreed.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 May 2026

Definition of gutless

Adjective

The John Steinbeck saga gets an extended treatment, this time starring Florence Pugh as the dastardly Cathy Ames.

— David Morgan, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
Meanwhile, Thoma Bravo, the firm that brought you most of these enterprise software bonds that were sliced into these aforementioned pieces of dastardly paper, is back at it again, talking a big game and looking for big deals.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of dastardly

Browse Nearby Words

unheralded

unheroic

unhesitating

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unheroic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unheroic. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unheroic

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

discreet

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes