Recreant — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈre-krē-ənt/ rec·re·ant

Meaning & Definition of Recreant

Recreant (adjective)

  1. crying for mercy, cowardly
  2. unfaithful to duty or allegiance

Recreant (noun)

  1. coward
  2. apostate, deserter

Recreant (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing a shameful lack of courage

    "the victors had only contempt for the recreant enemy soldiers who surrendered without firing a shot"

    similar: chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered (archaic), poltroon, pusillanimous, 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

  2. not true in one's allegiance to someone or something

    "recreant campaign workers who walked out as soon as their candidate began dropping in the polls"

    similar: disloyal, faithless, false, fickle, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous, treacherous, unfaithful, untrue
    related: irresponsible, trustless, undependable, unreliable, untrustworthy, faltering, hesitant, vacillating, wavering, dubious, irresolute, uncertain, apathetic, dispassionate, uninterested
    opposite: constant, dedicated, devoted, devout, down-the-line, faithful, fast, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true
    near: dependable, dutiful, reliable, responsible, solid, tried, tried-and-true, trustable, trustworthy, trusty, unfaltering, unhesitating, unwavering, determined, intent, resolute, confirmed, dyed-in-the-wool, inveterate, sworn, ardent, avid, enthusiastic, fervent, fervid, impassioned, passionate

Recreant (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right

    "traditionally armies have dealt harshly with recreants, with execution being a common punishment for desertion during wartime"

    similar: apostate, defector, deserter, renegade
    related: betrayer, double-crosser, quisling, traitor, traitress, turnabout, turncoat, abandoner, come-outer, dropout, leaver, defier, insurgent, insurrectionary, insurrectionist, mutineer, rebel, red, revolter, revolutionary, revolutionist, revolutionizer, discontent, malcontent, recusant, refusenik, refuser
    opposite: loyalist
    near: adherent, disciple, follower, supporter, fanatic, militant, partisan, zealot

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

    "the historian reserved his greatest contempt for those recreants who opposed the witch hunt but lacked the courage to speak out against it"

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

  3. one who betrays a trust or an allegiance

    "a spy and recreant to his country"

    similar: apostate, backstabber, betrayer, double-crosser, double-dealer, Judas, quisling, serpent, snake, traitor, turncoat
    related: accommodationist, collaborationist, collaborator, sellout, subversive, subverter, coconspirator, conspirator, intriguer, plotter, schemer, defector, deserter, renegade, blabbermouth, gossip, gossiper, gossipmonger, informant, informer, rat, rumormonger, snitch, snitcher, squealer, stool pigeon, talebearer, talker, tattler, tattletale, telltale

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Recreant

The most common words with a similar meaning to Recreant:

Archaic: milk-livered
chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, poltroon, pusillanimous, spineless, unheroic, yellow, disloyal, faithless, false, fickle, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous, treacherous, unfaithful, untrue, apostate, defector, deserter, renegade, coward, cur, dastard, funk, sissy, backstabber, betrayer, double-crosser, double-dealer, Judas, quisling, serpent, snake

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Recreant

Words with the opposite meaning of Recreant:

brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous, constant, dedicated, devoted, devout, down-the-line, faithful, fast, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true

Related Words for Recreant

diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous, afraid, frightened, scared, careful, cautious, wary, bashful, coy, shy, feeble, soft, unmanly, weak, irresponsible, trustless, undependable, unreliable, untrustworthy, faltering, hesitant, vacillating, wavering, dubious, irresolute, uncertain

Near Antonyms of Recreant

audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy, plucky, spirited, spunky, determined, resolute, dependable, dutiful, reliable, responsible, solid, tried, tried-and-true, trustable, trustworthy, trusty, unfaltering, unhesitating, unwavering, intent, confirmed, dyed-in-the-wool, inveterate, sworn, ardent, avid

Origin & Etymology of Recreant

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from present participle of (se) recreire to give up, yield, from Medieval Latin (se) recredere to resign oneself (to a judgment), from Latin re- + credere to believe creed

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Recreant

What does "Recreant" mean?

"Recreant" means crying for mercy, cowardly. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: crying for mercy, cowardly. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Recreant"?

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

What are different ways to say "Recreant"?

There are 138 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Recreant". Common alternatives include chicken, chicken-livered, chickenhearted, cowardly, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered and poltroon.

What is the opposite of "Recreant"?

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

How do you use "Recreant" in a sentence?

Examples of "Recreant" in a sentence: "the victors had only contempt for the recreant enemy soldiers who surrendered without firing a shot"; "recreant campaign workers who walked out as soon as their candidate began dropping in the polls"; "traditionally armies have dealt harshly with recreants, with execution being a common punishment for desertion during wartime".

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

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

How do you pronounce "Recreant"?

"Recreant" is pronounced /ˈre-krē-ənt/ and divided into syllables as rec·re·ant.

What is the origin of the word "Recreant"?

"Recreant" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from present participle of (se) recreire to give up, yield, from Medieval Latin (se) recredere to resign oneself (to a judgment), from Latin re- + credere to believe creed. First known use: 14th century.