as in craven
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger
the soldiers who ran as soon as the first shots were fired were branded as cowards
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as in cowardly
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Recent Examples of coward
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, Democrats — who are usually cowards when the subject is race — are afraid to defend DEI.
—Ruben Navarrette, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025
McGee, Knight, and Torres step onto the Elevator of Schemes and Secrets full of speculation, like why is LaRoche interested in scoring political points with this case, and what kind of coward hides behind a fake name anyway?
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2024
This sick, twisted and evil coward showed no regard for Laken or human life.
—Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 21 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for coward
Noun
The employees are spoiled and the investors are cowards.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, Democrats — who are usually cowards when the subject is race — are afraid to defend DEI.
—Ruben Navarrette, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025
McGee, Knight, and Torres step onto the Elevator of Schemes and Secrets full of speculation, like why is LaRoche interested in scoring political points with this case, and what kind of coward hides behind a fake name anyway?
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2024
This sick, twisted and evil coward showed no regard for Laken or human life.
—Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 21 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for coward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coward
Adjective
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Those who resort to violence to undermine our state and nation must be held accountable, and our state leaders must reinforce through decisive action that these cowardly attacks will not be tolerated.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2025
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The cowardly capitulation of Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps are negative examples to be learned from.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Lunch: turkey or chicken skewers with bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and tomato served with basmati rice.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2025
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Pickle and chicken lovers rejoice: Fast food chain Popeyes is bringing a very special menu to restaurants this year.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And the really jaw-dropping part of AMLO’s gutless abdication?—
Tim Padgett,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Aug. 2024
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Two baseballs flew down toward the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar from the left-field corner stands, the gutless moves of two cowards.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Columbia University, through a thoroughly pusillanimous capitulation to a multi-million-dollar threat from the Trump administration, has put that conviction in the grave.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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There was no fanfare — indeed no announcement or change in Oscar rules — but a firestorm of controversy resulted, followed by the Academy’s cowardly, pusillanimous silence on the issue.—
Armond White,
National Review,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In the new showbiz comedy The Studio, Bryan Cranston has a recurring role as Griffin Mill, the craven movie executive played by Tim Robbins in the 1992 film The Player.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2025
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In any event Marshall, a craven idiot, is a raucous, vulgar sendup of the bedrock American principle of Manifest Destiny.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coward. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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