cower

[ kou-er ]

verb (used without object)

1. to crouch, as in fear or shame.

   Synonyms: quail, flinch, recoil, cringe

cower

/ ˈkaʊə /

verb

1. intr to crouch or cringe, as in fear

Other Words From

• cower·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cower¹

1250–1300; Middle English couren; cognate with Norwegian, Swedish kūra, Middle Low German kūren, German kauern

Word History and Origins

Origin of cower¹

C13: from Middle Low German kūren to lie in wait; related to Swedish kura to lie in wait, Danish kure to squat

Example Sentences

We laughed that off, but it was harder to do the same when everyone coming down the trail toward us cowered in fear at the sight of the dogs the hiker lied had just bit him.

From Outside Online

No one locked in a room, cowering under a table for hours, was laughing.

From Time

In fact, many have accused Blancaflor of cowering to the influence of the United States.

From Washington Post

There were barely two dozen journalists in theaters that seat hundreds, all scattered around in separate rows, cowering in their masks.

From The Daily Beast

In the apartment were young Denise, her mother and aunt, and two small children who cowered under blankets as the gang terrorized the others, police said.

From Washington Post

Durbin has spoken out fearlessly against the NRA while so many of his colleagues in Congress cower.

From The Daily Beast

Camus did not cower from the depressing implications of his insight.

From The Daily Beast

Life in Gaza has ground to a halt as electricity fails, bombs fall, and residents cower.

From The Daily Beast

Was this their first real rocket-induced cower, as it was mine?

From The Daily Beast

Either we have the means to intimidate them or we have to cower in fear.

From The Daily Beast

Will not this coming Yankee Congress force all the world either to cower before them, or check them by upholding us?

From Project Gutenberg

And he would cower in the background blushing his absurd little blushes at his second-hand temerity.

From Project Gutenberg

Wave after wave of them come across in their field gray-blue uniforms and they never cower.

From Project Gutenberg

If, with growing clarity of vision, catastrophe ensued, then was time enough to shrink and cower.

From Project Gutenberg

But even then Ruth could not speak; it had come in too tender a moment, had found her too exposed; she could only cower back.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cringe
• crouch
• flinch
• recoil
• skulk
• tremble
• wince