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Fainthearted vs Pusillanimous - What's the difference?

fainthearted | pusillanimous |

As adjectives the difference between fainthearted and pusillanimous

is that fainthearted is faint of heart; irresolute; fearful while pusillanimous is showing ignoble cowardice, or contemptible timidity.

fainthearted

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Faint of heart; irresolute; fearful.
  • * 1719: Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=text&offset=193841263&textreg=2&query=+fainthearted&id=DefCru1]
    • Upon this, our guide, who, by the way, was but a fainthearted fellow, bid us keep in a ready posture, for he believed there were more wolves a-coming. We kept our arms ready, and our eyes about us...
  • * 1866: Louisa May Alcott, Behind a Mask: or, A Woman's Power [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=text&offset=59916136&textreg=1&query=+fainthearted&id=AlcBehi]
    • "Fainthearted knight! You should have stayed and covered my retreat. Hark! they are coming! Hide! Hide!" she panted, half in fear, half in merriment, as the gay pursuers rapidly drew nearer.

    Synonyms

    * afraid * cowardly * meek * timid

    Antonyms

    * brave * determined * steadfast * stouthearted

    pusillanimous

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Showing ignoble cowardice, or contemptible timidity
    • The soldier deserted his troop in a pusillanimous manner.
  • * 1882 — , On the Decay of the Art of Lying [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2572/2572.txt].
    • Therefore, the wise thing is for us diligently to train ourselves to lie thoughtfully, judiciously; to lie with a good object, and not an evil one; to lie for others' advantage, and not our own; to lie healingly, charitably, humanely, not cruelly, hurtfully, maliciously; to lie gracefully and graciously, not awkwardly and clumsily; to lie firmly, frankly, squarely, with head erect, not haltingly, tortuously, with pusillanimous mien, as being ashamed of our high calling.

    Related terms

    * pusillanimously * pusillanimousness