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craven

craven

10 9.6
A person who is very afraid and avoids danger or difficult situations
  • noun
  • /ˈkreɪvən/
  • Offensive
translation icon : cobarde
  • The gentleman in question is obviously an astute (not to say, craven) assessor of his and his colleagues' relative value.

Examples

  • He came across as opportunistic, even craven, in response to the tragedy.

    Blog text (22)
  • We're the ones who selected those Craven politicians and eventually we will pay the price.

  • And it's why, if anyone is actually paying attention, Romney's campaign will go down as the most craven in our history.

    Blog text (19)
  • Only the most craven of hacks would be shameless enough to write that.

    Blog text (3)
  • Servile, craven wretches lick the dust.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The craven thug was seen running like a rotten, spineless coward, like a scared, spineless jack rabbit...

  • Craven, venal, stupid yet cunning, they shamble through life using seduction and trickery.

    Blog text (31)
  • He was considered a craven for refusing to stand up for what he believed in.

  • The craven behavior of a soldier who abandons his comrades is often condemned.

  • In the face of danger, his craven decision to flee shocked everyone.

Synonyms

coward
vscraven
  • Offensive
584 2.3

A person who is too afraid to face danger or hard things

is stronger, meaning extremely fearful and without bravery rather than simply afraid
poltroon
vscraven
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who is very afraid to face danger or problems

is the same meaning but differs only as an alternative word form
recreant
vscraven
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who is not brave and betrays friends or causes

focuses only on extreme fear without implying betrayal or disloyalty

Antonyms

1.1

A person admired for brave actions and good qualities

906 1.0

Has courage when facing danger, pain or fear

How Brave

hero
1.1
coward
  • Offensive
584 2.3
craven
  • Offensive
10 9.6

Surface Forms

craven singular
cravens plural

Etymology

Craven comes from an Old French word cravant meaning 'defeated' or 'crushed', so a craven (noun) is a person who seems beaten down by fear and too afraid to stand up to danger.