demure

adjective

de·mure di-ˈmyu̇r

Synonyms of demure next

: reserved or modest in manner

a demure smile

… cultural stereotypes of women being feminine and demure.—

Jacqueline Fitzgerald

: modestly styled or dressed

a demure neckline

… looked prim and proper in a demure dress …—

Yaron Steinbuch

Meanwhile Meghan was demure in a long white gown and matching hat …—

Kayla Walsh

: affectedly modest, reserved, or serious : coy

… Becky had a knack of adopting a demure ingénue air, under which she was most dangerous.—

William Makepeace Thackeray

demurely adverb

demureness noun

Did you know?

In the nearly seven centuries that demure has been in use, its meaning has only shifted slightly. While it began solely as a descriptive term for people of quiet modesty and sedate reserve—those who don't draw attention to themselves, whether because of a shy nature or determined self-control—it came to be applied also to those whose modesty and reservation is more affectation than sincere expression. While demure sounds French and entered the language at a time when the native tongue of England was borrowing many French words from the Normans, the etymological evidence requires that we exercise restraint: the word's origin remains obscure.

Examples of demure in a Sentence

So even if you think you've moved past your reputation as The Rebel, two minutes after getting together with your more demure sister, you're likely to fall back into that hell-raiser role. —

Jessica Mehalic, Cosmopolitan, August 2001

It looked as though the dress and capelet were one piece. It created a demure look, but if you take off the capelet, it's a seductive strapless dress. —

Elizabeth Hayt, Vogue, December 1999

I made a lot of friends at Les Tourelles with whom I have kept in touch over the years. There was one darling little girl, much younger than the rest of us, who was sweet, demure, and quiet, with beautiful long hair like Alice in Wonderland. —

Anna Russell, I'm Not Making This Up, You Know, 1985

She was wearing a demure gray suit. the demure charm of the cottage

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.

While Princess Kate seems to favor demure headtoppers, Queen Camilla doesn't shy from going big and bold. —

Janine Henni, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024 Purser’s Anne isn’t the demure ingenue of more traditional productions, even though McDonald’s Edouard Dindon has no problem playing the farcical parental heavy. —

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2024 Taylor Swift touched down with a demure updo at the Chiefs' game. —

Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 11 Nov. 2024 Pence's credibility among the Christian right, his hardline cultural views, and his demure personability ran contrary to Trump, the Times reported, which appeared to potentially factor into Trump's hesitancy to select Pence. —

David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for demure