adj
Uncommon
craven
KRAY-vuhn
Craven (adj) means Completely lacking courage; cowardly, especially in a shameful way. Example: “It was a craven act to abandon his team when things got difficult.”
adj
1
Completely lacking courage; cowardly, especially in a shameful way.
"It was a craven act to abandon his team when things got difficult."
"The general condemned the craven retreat of his officers."
noun
1
A coward.
"He was branded a craven for fleeing at the first sign of trouble."
How to use craven
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishShamefully cowardly — a stronger, more judgmental word than simply "afraid."
When to use it
A literary or formal word; in everyday speech people usually just say "cowardly."
Common pairings
craven cowardice
a craven act
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Word forms
- Plural
- cravens
- Third person singular
- cravens
- Past tense
- cravened
- Comparative
- more craven
- Superlative
- most craven
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It was a _____ act to abandon his team when things got difficult.
Etymology
From Middle English cravant, from Old French cravanté, "defeated" — the word originally meant someone who had been beaten, and later came to describe someone too cowardly to fight at all.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for craven
See all rhymes for craven →Frequently asked questions
What does “craven” mean?
The word “craven” means completely lacking courage; cowardly, especially in a shameful way. In plain terms, shamefully cowardly — a stronger, more judgmental word than simply "afraid.".
How do you pronounce “craven”?
“Craven” is pronounced KRAY-vuhn (/ˈkɹeɪ.vən/ in IPA).
How do you use “craven” in a sentence?
Here is “craven” used in a sentence: “It was a craven act to abandon his team when things got difficult.”
What part of speech is “craven”?
Depending on how it is used, “craven” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “craven” come from?
The word “craven” comes from Old French. From Middle English cravant, from Old French cravanté, "defeated" — the word originally meant someone who had been beaten, and later came to describe someone too cowardly to fight at all.
Is “craven” a common word?
“Craven” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “craven” have?
“Craven” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: completely lacking courage; cowardly, especially in a shameful way.
