cowardice: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal; occurs more in written and serious spoken contexts (literature, news, political/moral discourse) than casual conversation.
Quick answer
What does “cowardice” mean?
Lack of bravery or strength of character.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Lack of bravery or strength of character; fearfulness when facing danger, pain, or difficulty.
A trait of character or a specific act that shows a failure to confront something challenging or threatening due to fear, often with moral implications of failing one's duty or principles.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are the main variants.
Connotations
Equally strong negative moral judgment in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK English corpus data, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “cowardice” in a Sentence
cowardice in the face of [danger/enemy]cowardice of [sb's actions/decision]cowardice to [infinitive - rare]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cowardice” in a Sentence
adverb
British English
- He cowardly refused to take responsibility.
- They acted cowardly in the debate.
American English
- He slunk away cowardly after being challenged.
- She argued that the law was cowardly written.
adjective
British English
- The decision was a cowardly betrayal of their principles.
- It was a cowardly attack on an unarmed man.
American English
- That was a cowardly move, not telling her to her face.
- The press condemned the cowardly act of violence.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. May be used in critiques of leadership, e.g., 'The board's cowardice in addressing the scandal damaged the company.'
Academic
Common in history, political science, literature, and ethics to critique actions or policies, e.g., 'The historian condemned the diplomatic cowardice that led to the crisis.'
Everyday
Used in serious discussions about character or actions, e.g., 'Not speaking up was an act of cowardice.' Less common in casual chat.
Technical
Not typically used in STEM fields. May appear in military science or leadership studies.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cowardice”
- Using it as an adjective (*'He is very cowardice'). Correct: 'He is very cowardly' or 'He shows cowardice.'
- Confusing with 'cowardly' (adj) or 'coward' (n).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Fear is a natural emotion. Cowardice is the blameworthy behaviour or character trait resulting from yielding to that fear when action is required.
No. The adjective form is 'cowardly'. 'Cowardice' is solely a noun.
It's a C1-level word. It's common in writing and formal speech but less so in casual conversation, where phrases like 'being a coward' or 'not having the guts' might be used instead.
Virtually always. It carries a strong negative judgment, implying a failure to meet an expected standard of bravery. It is not a neutral term for simple fearfulness.
Lack of bravery or strength of character.
Cowardice is usually formal; occurs more in written and serious spoken contexts (literature, news, political/moral discourse) than casual conversation. in register.
Cowardice: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊ.ə.dɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊ.ɚ.dɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero dies but one.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A COWard ICEd up with fear and couldn't move forward.
Conceptual Metaphor
COURAGE IS STRENGTH/HEAT; COWARDICE IS WEAKNESS/COLD. (e.g., 'spineless,' 'cold feet,' 'frozen with fear').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'cowardice' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?