dastardly

[das-terd-lee]

adjective

1. cowardly; meanly base; sneaking.

   a dastardly act.

dastardly

/ ˈdæstədlɪ /

adjective

1. mean and cowardly

Other Word Forms

• dastardliness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dastardly¹

First recorded in 1560–70; dastard + -ly

Example Sentences

Yet there’s no denying that Swift’s lyrics about love here lack the kind of depth she’s mined in tunes thought to have been inspired by the dastardly likes of John Mayer and Matty Healy.

From Los Angeles Times

"Your dastardly hand drips of the blood of a martyr and freedom fighter who paid the ultimate price for the freedom and love for humanity, democracy, and justice," it read.

From BBC

Joined by his wife Katie, he plunges into another assignment, as he tries to get the "spirit of Christmas" back from the dastardly humbugs.

From BBC

I followed Mr Whelan’s case closely in Moscow from the very start and remember the day he first arrived in court looking more like a dazed librarian than a dastardly intelligence agent.

From BBC

That dastardly cat had lurked in the shadows by the door.

From Literature

Related Words

• contemptible 
• cowardly 
• despicable 
• underhanded 
• vile