Fortitude is to bravery as cowardice is to what?

The relationship between the words "fortitude" and "bravery" centers around qualities that relate to courage and strength in facing challenges. Fortitude refers to courage in pain or adversity, while bravery denotes the quality of being willing to face danger or conflict. Therefore, both terms embody positive qualities associated with facing difficulties head-on.

In contrast, cowardice signifies a lack of bravery or the feeling of fear that prevents one from confronting danger. The word that best captures the essence of cowardice is "fearfulness." Fearfulness describes a state of being afraid, which directly connects to the principles of cowardice as it suggests an excessive or paralyzing fear that leads to avoidance of challenges or danger.

The other options, while they relate to various emotional states, do not as directly bear the essential meaning of cowardice as "fearfulness" does. Confidence implies a self-assuredness that runs contrary to cowardice, and apathy and indifference suggest a lack of concern or interest, which, though they might correlate with not acting bravely, do not encapsulate the essence of being cowardly.