Craven — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈkrā-vən/ cra·ven

Meaning & Definition of Craven

Craven (adjective)

  1. lacking the least bit of courage, contemptibly fainthearted
  2. defeated, vanquished

Craven (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing a shameful lack of courage

    "a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally"

    similar: chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered (archaic), poltroon, pusillanimous, recreant, spineless, unheroic, yellow
    related: diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous, afraid, frightened, scared, careful, cautious, wary, bashful, coy, shy, feeble, soft, unmanly, weak
    opposite: brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous
    near: audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy, plucky, spirited, spunky, determined, resolute

Craven (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger

    "a craven who ran away and left everyone else behind to deal with the crisis"

    similar: chicken, coward, cur, dastard, funk, poltroon, recreant, sissy
    related: defeatist, quitter, cream puff, milquetoast, pushover, pussy (slang), weakling, wimp, caitiff, snake, sneak, ostrich, scaramouch
    opposite: hero, stalwart, valiant
    near: daredevil

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Craven

The most common words with a similar meaning to Craven:

Archaic: milk-livered
chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, poltroon, pusillanimous, recreant, spineless, unheroic, yellow, coward, cur, dastard, funk, sissy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Craven

Words with the opposite meaning of Craven:

brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous, hero

Related Words for Craven

diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous, afraid, frightened, scared, careful, cautious, wary, bashful, coy, shy, feeble, soft, unmanly, weak, defeatist, quitter, cream puff, milquetoast, pushover, pussy, weakling, wimp, caitiff, snake, sneak, ostrich

Near Antonyms of Craven

audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy, plucky, spirited, spunky, determined, resolute, daredevil

Word Forms of Craven

Derived words: craven (noun), cravenly (adverb), cravenness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Craven

Middle English cravant

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Craven

Frequently Asked Questions about Craven

What does "Craven" mean?

"Craven" means lacking the least bit of courage, contemptibly fainthearted. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: lacking the least bit of courage, contemptibly fainthearted. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Craven"?

Other words for "Craven" include chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered and milk-livered. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Craven" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Craven"?

There are 50 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Craven". Common alternatives include chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered, poltroon and pusillanimous.

What is the opposite of "Craven"?

Antonyms of "Craven" include brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant and greathearted. Near antonyms include audacious, bold, brazen and cheeky.

How do you use "Craven" in a sentence?

Examples of "Craven" in a sentence: "a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally"; "a craven who ran away and left everyone else behind to deal with the crisis".

Is "Craven" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Craven" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Craven" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Craven" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Craven"?

"Craven" is pronounced /ˈkrā-vən/ and divided into syllables as cra·ven.