dastardly
das·tard·ly [ ˈda-stərd-lē]
2 : characterized by underhandedness or treachery
//a dastardly attack a dastardly villain
Other Words from dastardly
dastardliness noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for dainty
Synonyms: Synonyms
- chicken,
- chicken-livered,
- chickenhearted,
- cowardly,
- craven,
- gutless,
- lily-livered,
- milk-livered
-
[archaic],
- poltroon,
- pusillanimous,
- recreant,
- spineless,
- unheroic,
- yellow
Synonyms: Antonyms
- brave,
- courageous,
- daring,
- dauntless,
- doughty,
- fearless,
- gallant,
- greathearted,
- gutsy,
- hardy,
- heroic
- (also heroical),
- intrepid,
- lionhearted,
- stalwart,
- stout,
- stouthearted,
- valiant,
- valorous
Choose the Right Synonym for dainty
cowardly, pusillanimous, craven, dastardly mean having or showing a lack of courage. cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage.
//
a cowardly failure to stand up for principle pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage.
//
the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance.
//
secretly despised her own craven yes-men dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous.
//
a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians
Recent Examples on the Web
//Koch has an appealing singing voice and the right demeanor to make the audience root for his character, despite the dastardly deeds.
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Matthew J. Palm, orlandosentinel.com, "‘Aida,’ ‘Gentleman’s Guide’: Student performances lift musicals | Review," 19 Oct. 2019
//Be Prepared,’’ steeped in shadows and complete with goose-stepping hyenas pledging their fealty to the dastardly Scar, intent on both regicide and fratricide.
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BostonGlobe.com, "‘The Lion King’ is still a feast for the eyes — and the heart, too - The Boston Globe," 10 Oct. 2019
//The mayor’s reprise of the song at the end of the first act, meant to justify the dastardly, is anything but funny.
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Lisa Kennedy, The Know, "Review: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s “Bright Star” strikes a chord at Arvada Center," 17 Sep. 2019
//But in the morning, that dastardly alarm clock wakes you from a stoned slumber and something just isn’t right.
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Mike Adams, chicagotribune.com, "Marijuana hangovers are real: What you need to know," 22 Aug. 2019
//And female thieves have a dastardly tactic to thwart their pursuers.
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The Economist, "Volunteers are nabbing Venice’s pickpockets," 5 Sep. 2019
//The media’s latest hot take is that Republicans—in particular the dastardly Senator Mitch McConnell —are blocking bipartisan legislation to protect the nation’s elections.
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Robert Hackett, Fortune, "Only One Republican Supported That Divisive Election Security Bill. Here’s Why He Voted in Favor—Cyber Saturday," 17 Aug. 2019
//In what many consider a career-best performance, Fonda plays a reclusive beekeeper slowly who pulls his dysfunctional family back together, but not without having to fight his son’s previous dastardly cohorts. From writer/director Victor Nunez.
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Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, "Peter Fonda leaves mark on the South with films like ‘Easy Rider,’ ‘Ulee’s Gold’," 17 Aug. 2019
//Strong’s Kendall, the ineffectual Hamlet to his father’s more dastardly Lear, went on a drug bender that led to the drowning death of a waiter at Shiv’s wedding.
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Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "Succession Is Better Than Ever," 11 Aug. 2019
First Known Use of dastardly
1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries near dastardly
More Synonyms and Antonyms ofdastardly
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
- his dastardly conduct in a critical moment haunted him for the rest of his life
- chicken,
- chicken-livered,
- chickenhearted,
- cowardly,
- craven,
- gutless,
- lily-livered,
- milk-livered
-
[archaic],
- poltroon,
- pusillanimous,
- recreant,
- spineless,
- unheroic,
- yellow
- brave,
- courageous,
- daring,
- dauntless,
- doughty,
- fearless,
- gallant,
- greathearted,
- gutsy,
- hardy,
- heroic
- (also heroical),
- intrepid,
- lionhearted,
- stalwart,
- stout,
- stouthearted,
- valiant,
- valorous