Fortitude is to bravery as cowardice is to what?

The relationship in the analogy “Fortitude is to bravery” emphasizes the quality of showing courage in the face of fear. To understand the opposite of cowardice, we need to identify the trait that reflects a lack of courage or confidence.

Fearfulness is closely associated with cowardice, as both concepts involve an aversion to danger or risk, reflecting a lack of bravery. Cowardice denotes a failure to confront fears, whereas fearfulness suggests being easily frightened or lacking courage in general situations. Thus, fearfulness directly aligns with cowardice, making it the correct answer in this analogy. This kind of word relationship focuses on contrasting characteristics, further reinforcing the connection between fearfulness and cowardice.

The other options do not capture the essence of cowardice in the same way. Confidence suggests a positive trait of self-assurance, which is the opposite of cowardice. Apathy refers to a lack of concern or interest and does not specifically relate to the idea of fear or bravery. Indifference also indicates a lack of interest but lacks the connotation related to fear. Therefore, fearfulness is the most accurate choice as it represents a trait that correlates directly with cowardice.