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The Difference Between Abashed and Unabashed
To abash someone is to shake up their self-possession, as illustrated by Charlotte Brontë in her 1849 novel Shirley: "He had never blushed in his life; no humiliation could abash him." When you are unabashed you make no apologies for your behavior (nor do you attempt to hide or disguise it), but when you are abashed your confidence has been thrown off and you may feel rather inferior or ashamed of yourself. English speakers have been using abashed to describe feelings of embarrassment since the 14th century, but they have only used unabashed (brazenly or otherwise) since the 15th century (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Examples of unabashed in a Sentence
Jeffery Vacante, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2025
Favoring vibrant colors, bold prints and unabashed detailing from the start, Gianni seemed ahead of his time, as far as Hollywood was concerned.
—Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
Her music—introspective, and unabashed pride in her Black identity—has created a global cult fanbase.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 3 Feb. 2025
He’s unabashed in his mission to make The Producer Mezcal the public’s gateway into the world of mezcal.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unabashed
Cite this Entry
“Unabashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unabashed. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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