What does cowardly mean?
Cowardly means Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; weakly fearful..
Cowardly
/ˈkaʊədli/ · adjective
Meaning
Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; weakly fearful..
Definitions by Sense
- Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; weakly fearful.
- (archaic) In the manner of a coward, cowardlily.
Example Sentences
1780, Edmund Burke, speech at The Guildhall, in Bristol The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face.
The cowardly rascals that ran from the battle.
We will not ſteale vpon him cowardly, But giue him warning and more warriours.
I love to follow them, but not so cowardly, as my life remaine thereby in subjection.
[…] men who cowardly and hypocritically subscribe orthodox creeds, whilst they teach a different kind of doctrine!
Synonyms for cowardly
Antonyms for cowardly
Related Words
Word Forms
- cowardlier
- more cowardly
- cowardliest
- most cowardly
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for cowardly?
Common synonyms include backboneless, base, bitch-ass, boneless.
What is the opposite of cowardly?
Possible antonyms include brave, courageous, fearless.
How do you use cowardly in a sentence?
1780, Edmund Burke, speech at The Guildhall, in Bristol The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.