cowardly and treacherous, despicable and underhanded

Formal and Informal Expressions of dastardly

In different contexts, you can replace 'dastardly' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'cowardly, treacherous' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'sneaky, shady' is a commonplace synonym.

dastardly: Explore its Definition & Usage

dastardly Definition

1cowardly and treacherous
2despicable and underhanded

Using dastardly: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "dastardly" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
He committed a dastardly act by stealing from the charity.
Example
The dastardly villain plotted to overthrow the king.
Example
It was a dastardly scheme to cheat his business partner.
Example
The dastardly deed was caught on camera.

dastardly Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for dastardly

Antonyms for dastardly

Phrases with dastardly

dastardly coward
a person who is both cowardly and despicable
Example
He was known as a dastardly coward who would do anything to save his own skin.
dastardly deed
an action that is cowardly, treacherous, or underhanded
Example
The dastardly deed of stealing from the elderly woman was caught on camera.
dastardly plan
a scheme that is sneaky, underhanded, or villainous
Example
The dastardly plan to rob the bank was foiled by the police.

Origins of dastardly

from Middle English 'dastard', meaning 'coward'

📌

Summary: dastardly in Brief

The term 'dastardly' [ˈdæstərdli] describes actions that are cowardly, treacherous, despicable, and underhanded. It can be used to describe people, deeds, or schemes, as in 'The dastardly villain plotted to overthrow the king.' 'Dastardly' has formal synonyms like 'cowardly' and 'treacherous,' and informal ones like 'sneaky' and 'shady.'