Cowed Meaning in English
word · lemma: cow
ˈkaʊd
KOWD
kˈaʊd
KOWD
Definition
Feeling frightened, intimidated, or forced to behave in a certain way because of someone's threats or power.
Usage & Nuances
"Cowed" is typically used in formal or literary contexts, not in casual conversation. It describes someone whose confidence or spirit has been suppressed by intimidation. Common with passive structures: 'He was cowed by...' Don't confuse with 'cow' the animal.
Spanish: intimidado - amedrentadoPortuguese (BR): intimidado - amedrontadoPortuguese (PT): intimidado - amedrontadoChinese (Simplified): 被恐吓 - 被吓倒Chinese (Traditional): 被恐嚇 - 被嚇倒Hindi: डराया हुआ - भयभीतArabic: مُرعَب - خائفBengali: ভীত - ভয়ভীত - আতঙ্কিত (হুমকির কারণে)Russian: запуганный - устрашённыйJapanese: おびえた - 威圧されたVietnamese: sợ hãi - bị khuất phụcKorean: 겁먹은 - 위축된Turkish: korkmuş - sindirilmişUrdu: ڈرایا ہوا - خوف زدہIndonesian: takut - terintimidasi
Example Sentences
The child looked cowed after being scolded by the teacher.
basic
She felt cowed by her boss's harsh words.
basic
The workers were cowed into silence.
basic
Most people were too cowed to speak up during the meeting.
natural
He wasn’t easily cowed by criticism or pressure.
natural
There was a cowed silence after the manager shouted.
natural