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, as in "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

Choose the Right Synonym for craven

cowardly, pusillanimous, craven, dastardly mean having or showing a lack of courage.

cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage.

a cowardly failure to stand up for principle

pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage.

the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility

craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance.

secretly despised her own craven yes-men

dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous.

a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians

Examples of craven in a Sentence

a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally

Recent Examples on the Web

Since then, Trump has regularly lobbed attacks at the military and its top leaders, accusing them of being politically craven and operationally incompetent. —Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2021

The callousness of investigators, the craven police interrogation methods that seek to discount the memory of survivors by insisting the truth hinges on minute details and the vitriol of a misogynistic public are all on display in Black Box Diaries. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2024

Or, for that matter, the jealous, craven Guy rising to the surface, whom Stan nails hilariously with each stewing grimace. —Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024

The glow of paradise is offset by the stench of crime, usually committed by craven schemers. —Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cravant

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

craven

1 of 2 adjective

cra·​ven

ˈkrā-vən

: cowardly

cravenly adverb

cravenness

-vən-(n)əs

noun

craven

2 of 2 noun

: coward