cower
verb
cow·er ˈkau̇(-ə)r 
cowered; cowering; cowers
intransitive verb
: to shrink away or crouch especially for shelter from something that menaces, domineers, or dismays
They all cowered silently in their places, seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen.
George Orwell
George Orwell
Synonyms
- cringe
- grovel
- quail
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
They cowered at the sight of the gun. She was cowering in the closet. I cowered behind the door.
Recent Examples on the Web Her bravery in coming forward in such a public role should humiliate all the older Trump enablers who now cower in silence trying to erase their complicity in the most dangerous coup attempt in American history. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 28 June 2022 Would my clients, followers and potential clients all want to cower at home for the rest of their lives? Regan Hillyer, Forbes, 1 June 2022 In Thom Browne’s new childrenswear campaign, photographed by Cass Bird, a pair of youths exaggeratedly cower in mock fear as an enormous dachshund is poised to leap in their direction. Vogue, 7 Apr. 2022 The house has no basement, so the occupants had nothing to do but cower and watch planes and the white, blinking, popping dots of bombs going off like fireworks in the sky. Steve Knopper, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2022 Hutter has heard stories of the mysterious Orlok, mostly from locals who cower at the mere mention of the Count’s name. Mike Postalakis, SPIN, 1 Mar. 2022 And Crewe insiders promise that the energy of the their bash inside the Mobile Civic Center will cause even The Kraken to cower. al, 6 Feb. 2022 The video from inside Oxford High School on Tuesday afternoon is chilling: Students cower together in the back of a classroom, hiding as an armed gunman rips through the halls, killing four and injuring seven others. Kristen Jordan Shamus, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2021 The video from inside Oxford High School on Tuesday afternoon is chilling: Students cower together in the back of a classroom, hiding as an armed gunman rips through the halls, killing four and injuring eight others. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 1 Dec. 2021 See More
Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 28 June 2022 Would my clients, followers and potential clients all want to cower at home for the rest of their lives? Regan Hillyer, Forbes, 1 June 2022 In Thom Browne’s new childrenswear campaign, photographed by Cass Bird, a pair of youths exaggeratedly cower in mock fear as an enormous dachshund is poised to leap in their direction. Vogue, 7 Apr. 2022 The house has no basement, so the occupants had nothing to do but cower and watch planes and the white, blinking, popping dots of bombs going off like fireworks in the sky. Steve Knopper, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2022 Hutter has heard stories of the mysterious Orlok, mostly from locals who cower at the mere mention of the Count’s name. Mike Postalakis, SPIN, 1 Mar. 2022 And Crewe insiders promise that the energy of the their bash inside the Mobile Civic Center will cause even The Kraken to cower. al, 6 Feb. 2022 The video from inside Oxford High School on Tuesday afternoon is chilling: Students cower together in the back of a classroom, hiding as an armed gunman rips through the halls, killing four and injuring seven others. Kristen Jordan Shamus, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2021 The video from inside Oxford High School on Tuesday afternoon is chilling: Students cower together in the back of a classroom, hiding as an armed gunman rips through the halls, killing four and injuring eight others. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 1 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English couren, probably from Middle Low German kūren
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
cower
verb
cow·er ˈkau̇-ər
cowered; cowering
: to shrink away or crouch down shivering (as from fear)
The thunder made our dog cower.
cowers
verb
as in cringes
to draw back or crouch down in fearful submission the abused dog always cowered in the presence of its master Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- cringes
- flinches
- recoils
- grovels
- quails
- blanches
- shrinks
- whitens
- kowtows
- toadies
- fawns
- squinches
- blenches