1
as in timid
easily frightened
a shy cat who hid under the bed every time she heard any loud noise
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
a shy person who finds talking to anyone but a close friend to be an awkward and unpleasant experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
the team is shy a couple of players because of illness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in notorious
not respectable
she was nervous about being left alone in a shy bar in a bad section of town
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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a shy person
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shy
Cynthia Drake, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2025
Disney isn’t shy about lifting the Rotten Tomatoes embargo on the movie after early screenings (which will be rolled into Thursday) with 86% with audiences and 68% fresh with critics.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025
Time, 11 Apr. 2025
While the romance didn’t make headlines until last June, the duo have not shied away from the public since.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Adjective
Mostly shy and harmless, problems can crop up when people feed them.
—Cynthia Drake, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2025
Disney isn’t shy about lifting the Rotten Tomatoes embargo on the movie after early screenings (which will be rolled into Thursday) with 86% with audiences and 68% fresh with critics.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
Despite long questioning predecessor Joe Biden’s physical and mental capacity, Trump himself has routinely kept basic facts about his own health shrouded in secrecy—shying away from traditional presidential transparency on medical issues.
—Time, 11 Apr. 2025
While the romance didn’t make headlines until last June, the duo have not shied away from the public since.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shy
Adjective
-
Wu was seen as timid at the beginning of the migrant crisis, staying in the background while Healey seized a Roxbury community rec center as a migrant shelter.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
25 Mar. 2025
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Of course, a lot of Republicans don’t feel that way because they’re being tricked into returning to a George W. Bush-era mindset where Democrats are weak and timid on the world stage while Republicans are tough and firm and willing to bomb the hell out of anyone who stands in their way.—
Connor Okeeffe,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The withdrawn San Francisco drama, about lonely nonbinary nanny and restaurant server Cass (Asia Kate Dillon), is simple in its presentation, but disguises numerous layers to its story.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2025
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Jade and John told Dateline both had noticed their daughter was acting a bit withdrawn in the period leading up to her disappearance.—
Veronica Fulton,
NBC News,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Third-party cookies are notorious for helping analytics firms and advertisers track users’ activities, potentially violating their online privacy.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Some Venezuelans subject to Trump’s use of the law have been sent to El Salvador and housed in its notorious main prison, known as CECOT.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
When confronted with this new, harsh reality, our state didn’t flinch.—
Wes Moore,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Yes, there will be some wins, at least from an optics perspective, but especially with China neither Trump nor Xi wants to be the first to flinch.—
Chuck Jones,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Cher was bashful to be busted but then couldn’t help laughing out loud at the audacity.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Or maybe the movie’s stars are just feeling a bit bashful!—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The survey's measure of consumer sentiment dropped to a level lower than at any point during the Great Recession.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Some hurdles are too low (come on, everyone knows Deborah won’t be mad at Ava forever), and others are too high.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
After being dealt from the Dodgers to the Boston Red Sox in 2020 as part of the infamous Mookie Betts trade, then traded again — this time by Boston to its archrival New York Yankees — the 28-year-old finally got his first chance to cash in via free agency after last season.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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In Henry’s latest, out April 22, two novelists compete for the chance to write a once-in-a-lifetime biography of a infamous heiress.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
These sprays shrink the blood vessels in your nasal passages.—
Andrea Muraskin,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2025
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And this isn’t just a method to shrink your waistline: The pros at Buchinger say that fasting is able to improve your quality of life both now and in the future, acting as a safeguard against aging.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shy. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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