COWARD Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

coward 1 of 2

noun

ˈkau̇(-ə)rd

Definition of coward

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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coward

2 of 2

adjective

as in cowardly

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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 coward

Noun

The mythmaking rebellion of Tekena, first of her name, for the sake of a coward’s love was as recognizable to her descendants as their need to cross borders, both ethnic and geographic, in search of a happiness that wasn’t promised. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 In reality, the refs just do the bidding of the cowards behind the curtain. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 14 July 2026

Adjective

Whoomp, whoomp bumped the coward heart. — James Arthur, The New York Review of Books, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for coward

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coward

Noun

This measure is a craven, deceptive, regressive, and destructive push to gut local control and services, and hand power to a barely accountable central government in Tallahassee.

— Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
In 2024, The Onion purchased Infowars, the conspiracy website born of the craven lunatic/Sandy Hook shooting denier Alex Jones.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026

Definition of craven

Adjective

What’s left is a vaguely political YouTube series afraid of its own tail, incapable of being actually relatable and too cowardly to own the batshit truths of these people’s lives.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
The trans actor Elliot Page plays Sinon, a poor boy from Ithaca who is brave enough to travel with Odysseus in place of the cowardly aristocrat Antinous, played by Robert Pattinson.

— Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Definition of cowardly

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

cow

coward

cowardice

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Style

“Coward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coward. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of coward

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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