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.

“Others might have cowered or taken time to regroup and figure out what they should do,” said Wald.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

The times have cowered everyone else to silence, afraid to speak up in fear of saying the wrong thing.

From Washington Times • Oct. 29, 2015

For the last quarter-century, however, British manufacturers have cowered behind high tariff walls and foreign competitors have imposed retaliatory tariffs that have prevented British goods from finding mass markets abroad.

From Time Magazine Archive

Normally I would have cowered, but I was mad.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate

She had spoken English all her life, led the debating society in secondary school, and always thought the American twang inchoate; she should not have cowered and shrunk, but she did.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie