cowardliness
Lack of bravery
Cowardliness is the quality of lacking courage or being easily frightened.
The word functions as a more elaborate form of cowardice, though cowardice is far more common: His cowardliness prevented him from speaking up.
Both forms describe the same failing—an unwillingness to face danger, difficulty, or confrontation.
Contemptible lack of bravery
- timidityFearful lack of courage
- faintheartednessLacking resolve or nerve
- pusillanimityContemptible lack of courage
- spinelessnessLack of courage
chickenhearted · yellowness · poltroonery · dastardliness · gutlessness · fearfulness · timorousness · skittishness
Lack of courage
- gutlessnessLack of bravery
- impotenceLack of strength or power
- helplessnessLacking ability to cope
- powerlessnessInability to affect outcomes
lack of backbone · ineffectuality · fecklessness · inadequacy · softness · vulnerability · defeatism · irresolution
Act of escaping detection
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
- flightAerial journey by aircraft
- shirkingAvoiding obligatory tasks
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
backing down · ducking · hiding · fleeing · escape · withdrawal · desertion · absconding
Complete yielding to demands
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- yieldingBending under pressure
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
- caving inCollapsing or surrendering
knuckling under · giving in · groveling · bootlicking · servility · obsequiousness · subservience · kowtowing
cravenness
Contemptible lack of bravery
- timidityFearful lack of courage
- faintheartednessLacking resolve or nerve
- pusillanimityContemptible lack of courage
spinelessness · chickenhearted · yellowness · poltroonery · dastardliness · gutlessness · fearfulness · timorousness · skittishness · wimpiness
spinelessness
Lack of courage
- gutlessnessLack of bravery
- impotenceLack of strength or power
- helplessnessLacking ability to cope
lack of backbone · powerlessness · ineffectuality · fecklessness · inadequacy · softness · vulnerability · defeatism · irresolution · enervation
evasion
Act of escaping detection
dodging · backing down · ducking · hiding · fleeing · escape · withdrawal · desertion · absconding · sidestepping
capitulation
Complete yielding to demands
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- yieldingBending under pressure
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
caving in · knuckling under · giving in · groveling · bootlicking · servility · obsequiousness · subservience · kowtowing · prostration