timorous

American  

[tim-er-uhs] / ˈtɪm ər əs /

adjective

1. full of fear; fearful.

   The noise made them timorous.

2. subject to fear; timid.

3. characterized by or indicating fear.

   a timorous whisper.

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timorous British  

/ ˈtɪmərəs /

adjective

1. fearful or timid

2. indicating fear or timidity

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Related Words

See cowardly.

Other Word Forms

• overtimorous adjective
• overtimorously adverb
• overtimorousness noun
• timorously adverb
• timorousness noun
• untimorous adjective
• untimorously adverb
• untimorousness noun

Etymology

Origin of timorous

1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin timōrōsus ( Latin timōr- (stem of timor ) fear + -ōsus -ous )

Example Sentences

She became the party’s spine and its sinew, holding together the Democrat’s many warring factions and standing firm at times the more timorous were prepared to back down.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

Haynesville companies are being more timorous than before because they need to hit their returns on investment, lest they lose hard-won investors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

Even amoral or timorous lawyers will hesitate to misbehave if it becomes clear that doing so endangers their livelihood.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2025

Powell, who has repeatedly told the president that his aides are too timorous and should be taking stronger steps, has taken some of her criticism public since the meeting.

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2020

“Wee sleekit, cow’ring, timorous Beastie,” said the drawbridge man.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White