cowering 1 of 2

cowering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of cower
as in cringing
to draw back or crouch down in fearful submission the abused dog always cowered in the presence of its master

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cowering
Verb
Democracies are composed of citizens with free will, not subjects cowering at the feet of rulers. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026 With several strippers, patrons and employees cowering in fear, the two men talk. Selome Hailu, Variety, 1 June 2026 The Wolves will retreat to their corner, bandage some wounds and aim to actually come out swinging Friday after cowering in the corner for the bulk of Game 2. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026 Appraisal will rely on the extent of your Radiohead fandom and your identification with creature-characters, often crying or cowering with their head in their hands, who are unremittingly sad and ashamed and embarrassed by the barbarism of simple existence. Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026 The latest release, Resident Evil Requiem, tries to appeal to both sides by starring a new character, the cowering FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, and a series favorite, action hero Leon Kennedy. Jay Peters, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026 His crackdown has more than a few similarities with a military invasion of some cities, his roundups have left immigrant communities cowering and their neighbors defiant. Phil Elliott, Time, 17 Feb. 2026 The homeless man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in a Manhattan apartment building was found cowering in a closet in upstate New York when cops zeroed in on his location, prosecutors said Thursday. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026 In some sense, there’s a palpable disgust that this community has responded not by cowering, not by submitting, not by being grateful for this sort of armed invasion that is meant to stress everyone out, but by trying to foil it. Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowering
Adjective
  • Re-wash and dry the garment, using these tips to avoid re-shrinking, to prevent a residue from the conditioner from setting.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • More comics journalism from Life Kit Still cringing about that awkward moment?
    Andee Tagle, NPR, 25 May 2026
  • Try and get through this one without cringing.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • The submissive Colin finds new confidence and enjoys doing assorted things for Ray, but complications arise when Colin begins to want something more emotional.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 June 2026
  • This is a strategy born not of manly strength, but of submissive desperation.
    Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • Cole agreed, but did do some flinching.
    Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026
  • Without flinching, the two plunged into the waves to rescue the woman.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Adjective
  • That amendment had been made a dead letter by Jim Crow state legislatures and an acquiescent Supreme Court.
    Robert D. Bland, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Trump is the most corrupt and scandal-plagued president since Nixon; indeed, his fiascoes eclipse Nixon’s, but many of them remain mostly or somewhat hidden, thanks in part to a much more acquiescent Republican Congress than the one Nixon had.
    David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • This film, so seemingly unassertive, apparently rambling and plotless, has a devastating impact and aftershock.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative, where an individual tends to give up on their own needs and acquiesce to the desires of others by disengaging from the situation altogether.
    Ellen Choi, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Suddenly, an American apparel brand is forced to figure out how to open and manage a compliant, local bank account in Mumbai just to pay for its textiles.
    Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 June 2026
  • These are arranged in a 2+1 redundant, Tier III-compliant setup that prevents power interruptions through battery-to-generator transitions.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • There’s something refreshing, in a resigned sort of way, about finding yourself in a restaurant that knows the value of everything—and the price, too.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
  • The general reaction from my colleagues seemed to be a resigned sense that chaos is the new norm.
    Paul Knoepfler, STAT, 21 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cowering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowering. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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