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

Synonyms

• cringe
• grovel
• quail

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

Sheriffs have the ability to fight, and the sheriff of Pinal County cowered. —Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024

The would-be slasher cowered in a doorway as four cops encircled him, preventing the angry mob from laying hands on him. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 11 May 2024

That leaves only Joel and Jessie to encounter the president, who is cowering on the floor as the Western Forces infiltrate his office. —Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2024

Fewer Iraqis cower in fear of al Qaeda, but security forces now torture detainees to extract confessions. —Antony J. Blinken, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2012

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(-ə)r 

: to shrink away or crouch down (as from fear)