cowardice
noun
cow·ard·ice ˈkau̇(-ə)r-dəs 
dialectal -(ˌ)dīs
: lack of courage or firmness of purpose
soldiers accused of cowardice
Examples of cowardice in a Sentence
the cowardice shown by political leaders who were willing to give the Nazis whatever they wanted
Recent Examples on the Web
By all accounts, being a milquetoast is a sort of vice—cowardice masquerading as prudence. —
Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 Devereaux receives a hero’s welcome back home, but his irrational and violent behavior threatens his new livelihood, as does the knowledge of his cowardice held by Capt. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026 Trump had also accused NATO allies of cowardice over their reluctance to help open the strait. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 22 Mar. 2026 His first period piece, the film follows a Belgian soldier grappling with cowardice and heroism in the trenches of WWI. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cowardice
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.
Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 Devereaux receives a hero’s welcome back home, but his irrational and violent behavior threatens his new livelihood, as does the knowledge of his cowardice held by Capt. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026 Trump had also accused NATO allies of cowardice over their reluctance to help open the strait. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 22 Mar. 2026 His first period piece, the film follows a Belgian soldier grappling with cowardice and heroism in the trenches of WWI. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cowardice
Cite this Entry
“Cowardice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/cowardice. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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cowardice
noun
cow·ard·ice ˈkau̇(-ə)rd-əs
: lack of courage to face danger : shameful fear
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