Dastardly — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈda-stərd-lē/ das·tard·ly

Meaning & Definition of Dastardly

Dastardly (adjective)

  1. cowardly
  2. characterized by underhandedness or treachery

Dastardly (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing a shameful lack of courage

    "his dastardly conduct in a critical moment haunted him for the rest of his life"

    similar: chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, craven, 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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dastardly

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dastardly:

Archaic: milk-livered
chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, craven, gutless, lily-livered, poltroon, pusillanimous, recreant, spineless, unheroic, yellow

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dastardly

Words with the opposite meaning of Dastardly:

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

Related Words for Dastardly

diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous, afraid, frightened, scared, careful, cautious, wary, bashful, coy, shy, feeble, soft, unmanly, weak

Near Antonyms of Dastardly

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

Word Forms of Dastardly

Derived words: dastardliness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Dastardly

First known use: 1542

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Dastardly

Frequently Asked Questions about Dastardly

What does "Dastardly" mean?

"Dastardly" means cowardly. As an adjective, it is defined as: cowardly.

What is another word for "Dastardly"?

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

What are different ways to say "Dastardly"?

There are 32 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dastardly". Common alternatives include chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, craven, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered, poltroon and pusillanimous.

What is the opposite of "Dastardly"?

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

How do you use "Dastardly" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dastardly" in a sentence: "his dastardly conduct in a critical moment haunted him for the rest of his life".

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

"Dastardly" is an adjective.

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

As a C2-level word, "Dastardly" 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 "Dastardly"?

"Dastardly" is pronounced /ˈda-stərd-lē/ and divided into syllables as das·tard·ly.