cowed

[koud]

adjective

1. frightened by threats, violence, superior strength or ability, etc.; intimidated or overawed.

   No, I’m not worried about going up against the chess champion—what do you take me for, an easily cowed novice?

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of cow.

Other Word Forms

• uncowed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowed¹

First recorded in 1740–50; cow ² ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective; cow ² ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb

Example Sentences

American political leaders, cowed by warnings about China’s progress, resist tightening AI safety, allowing superintelligence work to continue.

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The president’s refusal to be cowed by threatening Russian nuclear behavior is welcome.

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"But we will not be intimidated. We will not be cowed."

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"It is the classic authoritarian playbook, threaten, smear and lie, scare people into submission. But we will not be intimidated. We will not be cowed," Greenberg said.

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For every political elite who has the guts to speak out right now, there are five more who have been cowed into silence.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• anxious 
• apprehensive 
• discouraged 
• distressed 
• fearful 
• frightened 
• horrified 
• intimidated 
• nervous 
• perplexed 
• perturbed 
• scared 
• shocked www.thesaurus.com
• spooked www.thesaurus.com
• startled 
• timid