cower

verb

cow·​er ˈkau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce cower (audio)
cowered; cowering; cowers
Synonyms of cowernext

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

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for cower

fawn, toady, truckle, cringe, cower mean to behave abjectly before a superior.

fawn implies seeking favor by servile flattery or exaggerated attention.

waiters fawning over a celebrity

toady suggests the attempt to ingratiate oneself by an abjectly menial or subservient attitude.

toadying to his boss

truckle implies the subordination of oneself and one's desires or judgment to those of a superior.

truckling to a powerful lobbyist

cringe suggests a bowing or shrinking in fear or servility.

a cringing sycophant

cower suggests a display of abject fear in the company of threatening or domineering people.

cowering before a bully

Examples of cower in a Sentence

They cowered at the sight of the gun. She was cowering in the closet. I cowered behind the door.
Recent Examples on the Web During solar eclipses, when the sky briefly turns dark, dogs may cower, birds stop flying and grow quiet, and nocturnal creatures emerge. —Mallory Moench, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024 Most of the dead were killed cowering in basements when their homes collapsed upon them. —Jerome Hansen, Jack Schermerhorn, Ralph Nelson and Ken McCormick, Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cower 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cower.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English couren, probably from Middle Low German kūren

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cower was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cower

Cowen

cower

Cowes

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Cower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cower. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

cower

verb
cow·​er ˈkau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce cower (audio)
: to shrink away or crouch down (as from fear)

More from Merriam-Webster on cower

Nglish: Translation of cower for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of cower for Arabic Speakers

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