cowing

verb

present participle of cow
as in intimidating
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats a sharp glare cowed the child into being quiet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cowing Instead of cowing Iran, the Israeli strike escalated the war. — Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowing
  1. intimidating
  2. bullying
  3. scaring
Verb
  • Pearce is by turns low-key hilarious and intimidating as the unerringly sure-of-himself businessman, peppering his conversation with colorful Australianisms and profanity while never relaxing his laser focus.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Basij boosted its presence during the war, and hard-liners have held nightly rallies in Tehran and other cities, drumming up support and intimidating any possible dissenters.
    — Lee Keath, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of intimidating
Verb
  • Marie-Louise is enraged one minute, subservient the next, bullying the staff while throwing banquets for Nazi officials.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has been bullying Canada since the start of his second term.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of bullying
Verb
  • Few griz/hunter interactions ever move beyond the scaring stage.
    — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Be a menace to people in the community, driving his boat 70 to 80 miles per hour, driving around scaring the heck out of people, taking people's lives.
    — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of scaring

Browse Nearby Words

cowhiding
cowing
cowinner
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowing. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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