shy 1 of 2

adjective

ˈshī How to pronounce shy (audio)
Definition of shynext
1
as in timid
easily frightened a shy cat who hid under the bed every time she heard any loud noise

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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as in withdrawn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

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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

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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

shy

2 of 2

verb

as in to flinch

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective shy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of shy are bashful, coy, diffident, and modest. While all these words mean "not inclined to be forward," shy implies a timid reserve and a shrinking from familiarity or contact with others.

shy with strangers

When can bashful be used instead of shy?

The words bashful and shy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bashful implies a frightened or hesitant shyness characteristic of childhood and adolescence.

a bashful boy out on his first date

When might coy be a better fit than shy?

While the synonyms coy and shy are close in meaning, coy implies a pretended shyness.

put off by her coy manner

In what contexts can diffident take the place of shy?

In some situations, the words diffident and shy are roughly equivalent. However, diffident stresses a distrust of one's own ability or opinion that causes hesitation in acting or speaking.

felt diffident about raising an objection

When could modest be used to replace shy?

The meanings of modest and shy largely overlap; however, modest suggests absence of undue confidence or conceit.

modest about her success

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shy
Adjective
His six goals tied Argentina forward Lionel Messi for the tournament lead and gave him 18 in his World Cup career, one shy of Messi's record. — CBS News, 1 July 2026 Born on Victor Edward Willis on July 1, 1951, in Dallas, Texas, the singer died one day shy of his 75th birthday. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Verb
Hovland was famously single prior to their relationship Before his relationship with Jensen, Hovland didn't shy away from his single status. — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 That’s a fact that Mario Garza, who took over as the Yankees’ international scouting director in the offseason, did not shy away from when the club announced Lai’s signing on Tuesday. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shy
  1. timid
  2. withdrawn
  3. lacking
  4. notorious
  5. flinch
  6. bashful
  7. low
  8. infamous
Adjective
  • But where the Baron is timid and bumbling, Krasznahorkai is expansive, charming, and courtly.
    — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 28 June 2026
  • Playing Mary Bennet — Elizabeth’s younger and more timid sister — Bruccoleri set out to portray the coming of age story of a Regency woman.
    — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 25 June 2026
Definition of timid
Adjective
  • Without daily contact with peers, some children become more withdrawn, lonely or emotionally flat.
    — John Samuels, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
  • Blatter also suggested that Infantino, like a lot of dictators, has started acting withdrawn.
    — Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
Definition of withdrawn
Adjective
  • Shuffling the opposition across to make space for a switch to the far side is a viable method of attack, but that can then come at the cost of a central box presence, with Portugal lacking runners beyond the ball.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • There is something to be found in both this character and the actress who plays her, but Alcock’s Kara did not have a chance to shine here in a lacking feature, and deserved better.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of lacking
Adjective
  • The memory industry is notorious for its boom and bust cycles.
    — Bailey Lipschultz, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • One of the most notorious lynchings during the Jim Crow period in America was of Leo Frank, a Jewish man.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of notorious
Verb
  • With five seasons of Disney media training under their belts, the trio didn’t flinch.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
  • Sipp slightly flinched his left arm before throwing a pitch to Emmanuel Burriss, allowing Miguel Tejada to score and sending San Francisco to its fourth straight win.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of flinch
Adjective
  • Over the course of a few days, this bashful teen, always armed with her camcorder and far less free-spirited than her cousins, will be beset by her father’s feuding family.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Overall and head-to-head goal differential are tiebreakers for group placement, and the Norwegians won’t be bashful about scoring as many times as possible.
    — Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 15 June 2026
Definition of bashful
Adjective
  • Those groups also have lower access to drugs that can stop the transmission of HIV.
    — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 1 July 2026
  • Last winter was the second-warmest on record, according to the city’s ordinance, with record low snowpack almost everywhere.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • The Balboa Peninsula, which Stapleton represents on the council, has historically been an infamous hot spot for public drinking, disruptive parties and brawls throughout the summer and especially during the Fourth of July.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • The infamous Cristiano Ronaldo bust leads the list of sports statutes that have received less-than-flattering reviews.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of infamous

Phrases Containing shy

Browse Nearby Words

shut up
shy
shy (from or away from)
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Cite this Entry

“Shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shy

Nglish: Translation of shy for Spanish Speakers

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