cower
verb
cow·er
ˈkau̇(-ə)r 
cowered; cowering; cowers
: to shrink away or crouch especially for shelter from something that menaces, domineers, or dismays
They all cowered silently in their places, seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen.—
George Orwell
George OrwellExamples of cower in a Sentence
They cowered at the sight of the gun.
She was cowering in the closet.
I cowered behind the door.
Recent Examples on the Web
The top-grossing films of the ’90s, such as Titanic and Jurassic Park, had budgets that would cower in the face of the $300 million+ figures now seen from such fares as the Russo Brothers’ The Electric State, now streaming on Netflix.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
The track-only Bugatti Bolide is one of the very fastest cars in the world, topping out at a claimed 311 mph, which makes mere supercars cower in fear.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2025
As a society navigating the choppy waters of quick-draw feuds and biting vitriol—no matter the triviality or seriousness of the topic in question—we are often cowered into joining the chorus versus belting out a solo for fear of being singled out.
—Christina L. Sgro, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Being with friends and family gets despair to cower, shrivel, and scamper for the hidden dark corners of the room.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cower
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Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
The track-only Bugatti Bolide is one of the very fastest cars in the world, topping out at a claimed 311 mph, which makes mere supercars cower in fear.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2025
As a society navigating the choppy waters of quick-draw feuds and biting vitriol—no matter the triviality or seriousness of the topic in question—we are often cowered into joining the chorus versus belting out a solo for fear of being singled out.
—Christina L. Sgro, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Being with friends and family gets despair to cower, shrivel, and scamper for the hidden dark corners of the room.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cower
Cite this Entry
“Cower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cower. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cower
verb
cow·er
ˈkau̇(-ə)r
: to shrink away or crouch down (as from fear)
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