Thomas Fleming
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Craven and its synonyms dastardly and pusillanimous are all basically fancy words for "cowardly." Don't be afraid to use them—here's a little information to help you recognize the subtle distinctions in their connotations. Craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance. One might speak of "craven yes-men." Dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous, as in this example: "a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians." Pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage, as in "After the attack, one editorialist characterized the witnesses as 'the pusillanimous bystanders.'"
Examples of craven in a Sentence
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Actors as skillful as Ruffalo and Toni Collette, the craven leader Marshall’s imperious wife, come off pretty pushy here.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
Dad forcing the family to log off to bury his secret is a craven but understandable move.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025
From the ground, the social-media response looked self-interested and craven, a reminder of the dissonance between the two realities.
—Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for craven
Cite this Entry
“Craven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/craven. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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