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 Orwell
Examples 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
Eric has essentially gone for a piss at the urinal, peaked over at Nolan’s humongous studio-schlong, and cowered off to the stalls.
—Jack King, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
The camera then zoomed out to show that an image of Jennings cowering away from the knife was used to decorate a cake.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Hence the obtuse rabbis, the cowering Uncle Yasha, and, in Aliyah of the 1990s, the naked Russian woman, presumably a prostitute, presenting herself doggy-style.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
But none, residents say, like the spasm of hatred on Sunday when rioters set fire to the building as more than 200 people cowered inside.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cower 
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Jack King, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
The camera then zoomed out to show that an image of Jennings cowering away from the knife was used to decorate a cake.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Hence the obtuse rabbis, the cowering Uncle Yasha, and, in Aliyah of the 1990s, the naked Russian woman, presumably a prostitute, presenting herself doggy-style.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
But none, residents say, like the spasm of hatred on Sunday when rioters set fire to the building as more than 200 people cowered inside.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cower
Dictionary Entries Near cower
Cite this Entry
“Cower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cower. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cower
verb
cow·er
ˈkau̇(-ə)r
: to shrink away or crouch down (as from fear)
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