cowardly

1 of 2

adverb

cow·​ard·​ly ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē 

: in a cowardly manner

cowardly

2 of 2

adjective

: being, resembling, or befitting a coward

a cowardly retreat

cowardliness noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• chicken
• chickenhearted
• chicken-livered
• craven
• dastardly
• gutless
• lily-livered
• milk-livered [archaic]
• poltroon
• pusillanimous
• recreant
• spineless
• unheroic
• yellow

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

Adverb

Although Florida has the largest population of Haitians of any state, DeSantis is too cowardly to criticize Donald Trump’s demonizing of the Haitian people. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Sep. 2024

How Trump, who so clearly got the better of President Joe Biden in their single matchup, can see this strategy as beneficial to him and not cowardly is a stumper. —Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 7 Aug. 2024

Adjective

During an interview on the debut episode of Sean with Sean Hannity on Tuesday, December 3, the actor admitted that sending a breakup letter to now-wife Jennifer Flavin via FedEx in 1994 was a cowardly move. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024

Build Hagrid’s hut, play as the cowardly dog Fang, and help the famous trio find out what Draco Malfoy is up to. —Mia Huelsbeck, People.com, 1 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cowardly

adjective

cow·​ard·​ly

ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-lē

1

: lacking courage : disgracefully timid

a cowardly rascal

2

: characteristic of a coward

a cowardly attack from behind

cowardly adverb

cowardliness noun