: being or marked by an unsophisticated, self-conscious, or self-effacing manner
an aw-shucks grin

Examples of aw-shucks in a Sentence

his persona may be that of an aw-shucks country singer, but offstage he is anything but
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like Francona, Miley’s aw-shucks facade belies an understanding of the game that borders on genius. C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 16 June 2025 Monologuing for an hour and a half is no walk in the park, but the genial A-lister tackles the task at hand with aw-shucks charisma and confidence. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 June 2025 Wilson puts most of his aw-shucks charm to the side to play this spacey wannabe, portraying Eli instead with a pitiable whine or some far-out detachment. Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025 Almost immediately, Carrie made the character her own, bringing in a sort of aw-shucks Midwestern sweetness. Michelle King, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 Nimmo has matured from an aw-shucks kid from Wyoming into a verifiable team leader, a guy who cried tears of joy on the field last season when the Mets clinched their first postseason series at Citi Field. Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 May 2025 The connections Plunkett draws between Frost’s lyric poems and their literary influences are valuable, particularly for anyone taken in by Frost’s aw-shucks persona. Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 Image The Killer Inside Me By Jim Thompson From the outside, Lou Ford seems to be every bit the easygoing, aw-shucks deputy sheriff of a small Texas town. S.a. Cosby, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025 His aw-shucks face was his biggest asset as Joe Biden and even the devil himself. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aw-shucks was in 1932

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Cite this Entry

“Aw-shucks.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aw-shucks. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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