cowardly

1 of 2

adverb

cow·ard·ly ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē

Synonyms of cowardly

: in a cowardly manner

cowardly

2 of 2

adjective

: being, resembling, or befitting a coward

a cowardly retreat

cowardliness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for cowardly

cowardly, pusillanimous, craven, dastardly mean having or showing a lack of courage.

cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage.

a cowardly failure to stand up for principle

pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage.

the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility

craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance.

secretly despised her own craven yes-men

dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous.

a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians

Examples of cowardly in a Sentence

Adjective He insisted on avoiding a cowardly retreat. She made a cowardly decision to go along with the group. a cowardly attack from behind

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Adverb

Further, the word kliba is not necessarily an affirming term in the Mahabharata since it is used derisively, as almost a slur, by men to ridicule and question the masculinity of other men who act cowardly. — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026 Those too cowardly to look their barista in the eyes before deciding not to give them a tip no longer have to simply hide behind an official Starbucks app. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 23 Apr. 2026

Adjective

The cowardly strike on civilians—some of whom were religious pilgrims—took the lives of at least 14 people and injured more than 300. — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 To know that a torture as violent as rape is about to happen ‘upstairs’ and not do ANYTHING ABOUT IT, is sick, cowardly and cold. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cowardly

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cowardly was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

cowardliness

cowardly

cowardness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cowardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowardly. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

cowardly

adjective

cow·ard·ly

ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē

: lacking courage : disgracefully timid

a cowardly rascal

: characteristic of a coward

a cowardly attack from behind

cowardly adverb

cowardliness noun

cowardly

adverb

adjective

Synonyms of cowardly

Examples of cowardly in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

asunder

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes