craven

adjective

cra·ven ˈkrā-vən How to pronounce craven (audio)

: lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted

… craven mercenaries who would not fight …

Thomas Fleming

archaic : defeated, vanquished

craven noun

cravenly adverb

cravenness

ˈkrā-vən-nəs How to pronounce craven (audio)

noun

Did you know?

Craven and its synonyms "dastardly" and "pusillanimous" are all basically fancy words for "cowardly." Don't be afraid to use them - here's a little information to help you recognize the subtle distinctions in their connotations. "Craven" suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance. One might speak of "craven yes-men." "Dastardly" often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous, as in this example: "a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians." "Pusillanimous" suggests a contemptible lack of courage (e.g., "After the attack, one editorialist characterized the witnesses as 'the pusillanimous bystanders'").

Example Sentences

a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally

Recent Examples on the Web Under the circumstances, then, the Special Olympics organization’s craven response to the DeSantis threat is nothing less than a betrayal of its own community.

Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 The Republicans are hell-bent on the destruction of American democracy, or else too craven to stand in the way—the result is the same.

George Packer, The Atlantic, 18 May 2022 His knack for skewering Broadway’s smash hits and for commenting on its craven tendencies to dumb down for and rip off its customers is unparalleled.

David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2022 It’s the power to change some of the awful, craven aspects of our current culture.

Cameron Smith | Csmith@al.com, al, 13 Apr. 2022 This mass radicalization is driven at various levels—through social media, divisive political messaging, a craven mainstream news media (at times compared with Radio Rwanda), and historical revisionism, increasingly through cinema.

Debasish Roy Chowdhury, Time, 30 Mar. 2022 The choice was roundly lambasted at the time and generally attributed to a craven motive.

Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2022 As a movie, The Batman shows Hollywood’s craven manipulation of its easily susceptible audience.

Armond White, National Review, 4 Mar. 2022 Cheney and Kinzinger clearly find this craven, concluding that the problem, far from fading away, is getting worse and has to be taken head-on.

Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 14 Feb. 2022 See More

单词	cravenly
释义	craven adjective cra·ven ˈkrā-vən 1 : lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted … craven mercenaries who would not fight … Thomas Fleming 2 archaic : defeated, vanquished craven noun cravenly adverb cravenness ˈkrā-vən-nəs noun Did you know? Craven and its synonyms "dastardly" and "pusillanimous" are all basically fancy words for "cowardly." Don't be afraid to use them - here's a little information to help you recognize the subtle distinctions in their connotations. "Craven" suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance. One might speak of "craven yes-men." "Dastardly" often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous, as in this example: "a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians." "Pusillanimous" suggests a contemptible lack of courage (e.g., "After the attack, one editorialist characterized the witnesses as 'the pusillanimous bystanders'"). Synonyms chicken chicken-livered chickenhearted cowardly dastardly gutless lily-livered milk-livered [archaic] poltroon pusillanimous recreant spineless unheroic yellow See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally Recent Examples on the Web Under the circumstances, then, the Special Olympics organization’s craven response to the DeSantis threat is nothing less than a betrayal of its own community. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 The Republicans are hell-bent on the destruction of American democracy, or else too craven to stand in the way—the result is the same. George Packer, The Atlantic, 18 May 2022 His knack for skewering Broadway’s smash hits and for commenting on its craven tendencies to dumb down for and rip off its customers is unparalleled. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2022 It’s the power to change some of the awful, craven aspects of our current culture. Cameron Smith \| Csmith@al.com, al, 13 Apr. 2022 This mass radicalization is driven at various levels—through social media, divisive political messaging, a craven mainstream news media (at times compared with Radio Rwanda), and historical revisionism, increasingly through cinema. Debasish Roy Chowdhury, Time, 30 Mar. 2022 The choice was roundly lambasted at the time and generally attributed to a craven motive. Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2022 As a movie, The Batman shows Hollywood’s craven manipulation of its easily susceptible audience. Armond White, National Review, 4 Mar. 2022 Cheney and Kinzinger clearly find this craven, concluding that the problem, far from fading away, is getting worse and has to be taken head-on. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 14 Feb. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English cravant First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Kids Definition craven adjective cra·ven ˈkrā-vən : cowardly cravenly adverb as in cowardly Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance cowardly spinelessly fearfully timorously timidly shyly nervously diffidently anxiously pusillanimously apprehensively prudently cautiously mousily skittishly spiritlessly carefully heedfully Antonyms & Near Antonyms boldly courageously bravely fearlessly valiantly stalwartly manfully heroically intrepidly firmly resolutely valorously determinedly gallantly dauntlessly gamely pluckily stoutly stoutheartedly grittily spiritedly doughtily gutsily spunkily See More
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craven

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adverb