Word
craven
US/ˈkɹeɪvən/
UK/kɹˈeɪvən/
Definition
adj. extremely cowardly and lacking any courage. You use this to describe someone who is too afraid to do what is right or necessary.
adj. contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly. Often used to describe a failure to act due to fear, especially in a moral or political context.
Examples
“The leader's craven behavior disappointed his followers.”
“The board made a craven decision to fire the whistleblower rather than face the public scandal.”
“Historians often criticize the administration's craven refusal to intervene, suggesting that a more courageous stance might have prevented the ensuing humanitarian crisis.”
Examples
simple
“The leader's craven behavior disappointed his followers.”
contextual
“The board made a craven decision to fire the whistleblower rather than face the public scandal.”
complex
“Historians often criticize the administration's craven refusal to intervene, suggesting that a more courageous stance might have prevented the ensuing humanitarian crisis.”
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun to describe people, actions, or decisions.
Real-World Examples
“Three thousand of my fellow Americans were killed in the craven terrorist attacks in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania.” “Three thousand of my fellow Americans were killed in the craven terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/craven