cower
verb
cow·er
ˈkau̇(-ə)r 
cowered; cowering; cowers
: to shrink away or crouch especially for shelter from something that menaces, domineers, or dismays
They all cowered silently in their places, seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen.—
George Orwell
George OrwellExamples of cower in a Sentence
They cowered at the sight of the gun.
She was cowering in the closet.
I cowered behind the door.
Recent Examples on the Web
Argentina’s lessons for the current moment are multiple: When tyrants threaten, more people and institutions may cower than resist; the loss of checks on state violence can be catastrophic; and no one knows who the next victim will be.
—Julia M. Klein, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Since Trump’s inauguration, many brands have cowered to the U.S. president’s demands to roll back DEI initiatives.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 22 May 2025
America might still be a British dependency had the Congress of 1776 feared and obeyed George III the way Donald Trump’s Republicans cower to him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
My pit bull Marcel cowered on the couch during the cold while the fluffier newsroom hounds frolicked in the snow.
—Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
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Julia M. Klein, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Since Trump’s inauguration, many brands have cowered to the U.S. president’s demands to roll back DEI initiatives.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 22 May 2025
America might still be a British dependency had the Congress of 1776 feared and obeyed George III the way Donald Trump’s Republicans cower to him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
My pit bull Marcel cowered on the couch during the cold while the fluffier newsroom hounds frolicked in the snow.
—Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cower
Cite this Entry
“Cower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cower. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cower
verb
cow·er
ˈkau̇(-ə)r
: to shrink away or crouch down (as from fear)
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