as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
pusillanimous politicians who vote according to whichever way the political wind is blowing
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Recent Examples of pusillanimous
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
Mark Kelly Americans who are rightfully appalled by the pusillanimous response to anti-Semitism on college campuses have been pulling their donations and calling for restrictions on anti-Israel student groups.
—Arthur Levitt, WSJ, 12 Nov. 2023
Those clumsy tales revealed Chazelle’s pusillanimous career ambitions.
—Armond White, National Review, 13 Jan. 2023
This is a remarkably pusillanimous way of framing the case.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2022
This book should—but won’t—be read by Joe Biden’s national security team, not to mention the pusillanimous leaders of Germany and France.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022
His pusillanimous and fraudulent conduct must be stopped.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 8 July 2022
Where the president should be direct and full-throated, Biden has been, at best, indirect and pusillanimous.
—The Editors, National Review, 12 May 2022
Rifkin’s story should rage against the pusillanimous like Roth and the hero of Look Back in Anger.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Feb. 2022
Armond White, National Review, 5 Mar. 2025
Mark Kelly Americans who are rightfully appalled by the pusillanimous response to anti-Semitism on college campuses have been pulling their donations and calling for restrictions on anti-Israel student groups.
—Arthur Levitt, WSJ, 12 Nov. 2023
Those clumsy tales revealed Chazelle’s pusillanimous career ambitions.
—Armond White, National Review, 13 Jan. 2023
This is a remarkably pusillanimous way of framing the case.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2022
This book should—but won’t—be read by Joe Biden’s national security team, not to mention the pusillanimous leaders of Germany and France.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022
His pusillanimous and fraudulent conduct must be stopped.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 8 July 2022
Where the president should be direct and full-throated, Biden has been, at best, indirect and pusillanimous.
—The Editors, National Review, 12 May 2022
Rifkin’s story should rage against the pusillanimous like Roth and the hero of Look Back in Anger.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pusillanimous
Adjective
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While taking your room’s layout and square footage into account, don't be afraid to think outside the box: how can your sitting room function for you?—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Mar. 2025
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Pay attention to your customers, listen closely, and don’t be afraid to test small, strategic changes.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes,
22 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
Adjective
-
Denying students access to our complete history is fundamentally cowardly.—
Britt Hogue,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Two beloved members of the Tijuana journalism community were killed in two separate cowardly attacks.—
Tania Navarro,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Inside, the staff scrambles for cover and a frightened woman and child are seen hiding behind a buffet counter.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2025
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Staying apolitical in his work, Lynch expressed the personal idiosyncrasy that reflected his upbringing in Midwest America (born in Missoula, Mont., and of Finnish-Danish heritage) as well as his private, frightened knowledge of national terror.—
Armond White,
National Review,
17 Jan. 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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Musk and Trump must be stopped before more Americans are killed, and only those spineless Republicans in Congress can stop them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Mar. 2025
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His spineless vice president and defense secretary then echoed Trump’s garbage.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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As the scream queen, there’s a role that Sam’s character can play, either angry at Paul, fighting back, or super scared.—
Barry Levitt,
Rolling Stone,
15 Mar. 2025
-
TikTok is eating our lunch, and executives are scared.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The look features bright coral eyeshadow covering the eyelid, a fuchsia shade in the crease, and a swipe of fluorescent yellow eyeliner on the outside half of the eye and right under the brow.—
Andrea Park,
Teen Vogue,
20 July 2017
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Three prominent Austin chefs teamed up with the Youngblood family to build a new restaurant from scratch that looks like a legacy chicken dinner house, down to the bright blue-and-yellow colors and the helpings of hot yeast rolls with honey.—
Bud Kennedy,
star-telegram,
19 July 2017
Cite this Entry
“Pusillanimous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pusillanimous. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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