craven
Americanadjective
noun
verb (used with object)
idioms
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of craven
1175–1225; Middle English cravant, cravaunde defeated < Old French craventé, past participle of cravanter to crush, overwhelm (< Vulgar Latin *crepantāre ), influenced by Middle English creaunt defeated ( see recreant)
Explanation
A craven man is no Superman or Spiderman, nor is he a firefighter or a soldier. A craven man is the opposite of those guys: he has not an ounce of courage. In "The Wizard of Oz," the Cowardly Lion could have been called the Cravenly Lion, but that didn't sound quite right. Use craven as you would cowardly. A craven leader is scared to lead, while a craven gymnast stays on the mat and avoids the balance beam. You can also use the word to describe other things, besides humans. Craven policies, for example, are probably weak and do not take bold measures.
Vocabulary lists containing craven
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Negative Words to Describe a Person
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These people are craven dummies, but they do make up a good swath of Canada’s eligible voters.
From Slate ● Apr. 29, 2025
"We would not wish to emulate their most craven tactics, of course, but could learn something from their strategic resolve."
From Salon ● Jan. 7, 2025
The judge’s admonishment of Peters was breathtaking as he rejected her lies and laid bare her craven motivations and manipulations.
From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2024
Or, for that matter, the jealous, craven Guy rising to the surface, whom Stan nails hilariously with each stewing grimace.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2024
"I don't understand. If you are truly so craven, why are you here? Why would a coward want to join the Night's Watch?"
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
