bashful

adjective

bash·​ful ˈbash-fəl 

1

: socially shy or timid : diffident, self-conscious

He was bashful as a child.

2

: resulting from or typical of a bashful nature

a bashful smile

bashfully

ˈbash-fə-lē 

adverb

bashfulness

ˈbash-fəl-nəs 

noun

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The Roots of Bashful

The adjective suffix -ful has a number of different senses, most of which have very little to do with "full of." In the case of bashful, -ful means "having the qualities of." This sense of -ful was combined with an obsolete verb bash meaning "to be abashed” (that is, dismayed or embarrassed) to form bashful, which literally means “having the qualities of being abashed.” This combination of a verb with -ful is also seen in mournful, which literally means “having the qualities of mourning.”

Synonyms

• backward
• coy
• demure
• diffident
• introverted
• modest
• recessive
• retiring
• self-effacing
• sheepish
• shy
• withdrawn

Choose the Right Synonym for bashful

shy, bashful, diffident, modest, coy mean not inclined to be forward.

shy implies a timid reserve and a shrinking from familiarity or contact with others.

shy with strangers

bashful implies a frightened or hesitant shyness characteristic of childhood and adolescence.

a bashful boy out on his first date

diffident stresses a distrust of one's own ability or opinion that causes hesitation in acting or speaking.

felt diffident about raising an objection

modest suggests absence of undue confidence or conceit.

modest about her success

coy implies a pretended shyness.

put off by her coy manner

Examples of bashful in a Sentence

bashful boys asking girls to dance

a bashful child who hid in his room whenever there were visitors in the house

Recent Examples on the Web

On a team of superstars, Salaam was a bashful giant, deferential and unselfish to the last. —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 10 Dec. 2024

Of the three all-time men’s players who’ve dominated this era of the game—Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic—Nadal seemed to be the most bashful of the three. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024

The spring’s boyfriend blush trend drags the pigment far beyond the usual target zone and focuses on rich layers to emulate a bashful expression. —Akili King, Essence, 19 Sep. 2024

On electrical poles, crosswalks, and the windows of small businesses throughout East Orlando are wilted posters of the same person: a petite woman with wavy, maroon hair and a bashful smile. —Raquel Reichard, refinery29.com, 18 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Early Modern English bash "to lose composure, be dismayed" (going back to Middle English baishen, basshen, probably aphetic variant of abaissen, abaschen "to abash") + -ful entry 1

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bashful

• bashful bladder
• bashful bladder syndrome

Kids Definition

bashful

adjective

bash·​ful ˈbash-fəl 

: awkward or afraid around other people

bashfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

bashfulness noun