verb
cower
KOW-uh
verb
1
To crouch down or shrink back in fear.
"The puppy cowered in the corner during the thunderstorm."
"She cowered behind the sofa when the intruder broke in."
How to Use Cower
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo physically shrink back or crouch out of fear.
Common mistake
Not related to "coward," even though they look connected — cower describes the physical action of cringing in fear.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
cower in fear
cower in the corner
cower before someone
Word Forms
cowered past tense, cowered past tense, cowers singular, cowers singular
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The puppy _____ in the corner during the thunderstorm.
Etymology
From Middle English couren, related to Germanic words meaning "to lie in wait" or "to squat" — unrelated to "coward," despite the similar look.