cower

intransitive-verb
UK: /ˈkaʊər/
US: /ˈkaʊər/

  1. To bend low and move back because you are afraid.

    1. The dog cowered when I raised my hand.
    2. Seeing the bully approach, he began to cower in the corner of the room.

  2. To shrink away or cringe, especially from something dangerous, painful, or frightening.

    1. She cowered at the sound of the thunder.
    2. The villagers cowered in fear as the invaders marched through their town, preparing for the worst.

Synonyms

recoil flinch shrink cringe

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "cower" in English means: To bend low and move back because you are afraid., To shrink away or cringe, especially from something dangerous, painful, or frightening..

The phonetic transcription of "cower" is /ˈkaʊər/ in British English and /ˈkaʊər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "cower": recoil, flinch, shrink, cringe.

Example usage of "cower": "The dog cowered when I raised my hand.". More examples on the page.