cower
verb (used without object)
to crouch, as in fear or shame.
were cowering
-
past progressiveof cower.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Several of Seifert's sixes were struck with such force that spectators in the second tier were cowering for safety, though it felt cruel that Allen's spectacular boundary effort went in the book as a drop.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Members of Congress were cowering in fear and Pelosi had been sent to a secure location.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2022
Cheney read several texts written by lawmakers who were cowering in their offices off the floors of the House and Senate chambers trying to convince Meadows to do the same thing.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2021
Her main concern, though, was that Democrats were cowering from the issue; in political terms, not to mention moral ones, this struck her as a missed opportunity.
From The New Yorker ● Jul. 25, 2019
Harry looked around; all three of the Dursleys were cowering with their arms over their heads as their glasses bounced up and down on their skulls, their contents flying everywhere.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
