1
as in timid
easily frightened
a shy cat who hid under the bed every time she heard any loud noise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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as in withdrawn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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shy
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 2026
But regardless of any gentle ribbing among friends, Griffin has never been shy about plastic surgery.
—
Louis Peitzman,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 June 2026
Kaitlyn Harvey,
AJC.com,
24 June 2026
This kicks off a war between Jessie and Lily, as Jessie tries to both get rid of the tablet and help shy Bonnie make new friends.
—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shy
Adjective
Steinbach led the nation with 22 double-doubles, placing him one shy of matching Jon Brockman’s single-season school record at Washington.
—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 2026
But regardless of any gentle ribbing among friends, Griffin has never been shy about plastic surgery.
—
Louis Peitzman,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 June 2026
Verb
Gaudin said the playful menu was inspired by watching straight men shy away from eating foods like hot dogs and bananas in public.
—
Kaitlyn Harvey,
AJC.com,
24 June 2026
This kicks off a war between Jessie and Lily, as Jessie tries to both get rid of the tablet and help shy Bonnie make new friends.
—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shy
Adjective
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Playing Mary Bennet — Elizabeth’s younger and more timid sister — Bruccoleri set out to portray the coming of age story of a Regency woman.
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Don’t be timid; get the crust good and wet before proceeding.
Adjective
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Such movement was not mirrored on the Netherlands’ right, where the attack-minded Denzel Dumfries was playing a more withdrawn role.
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Without daily contact with peers, some children become more withdrawn, lonely or emotionally flat.
Adjective
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An honest review would tell you the coordination was a little lacking in this particular bit of maritime cosplay.
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While sports governing bodies such as FIFA and the International Olympic Committee have come to recognize that press freedom is an essential part of their commitments to uphold human rights, results are vastly lacking.
Adjective
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During an April 2024 interview with The Sun, John revealed that he was diagnosed with toxic peripheral polyneuropathy, a condition linked to his time at Camp Lejeune, a notorious military base in North Carolina, where the water was severely contaminated in the 1980s.
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Morey was fired in May after Philadelphia failed to get past the second round of the playoffs, extending the franchise's notorious Eastern Conference Finals drought.
Verb
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With five seasons of Disney media training under their belts, the trio didn’t flinch.
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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.
Adjective
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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.
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Brock Purdy isn’t bashful about the 49ers’ potential.
Adjective
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Hien immediately fell to the ground and had to be helped off the pitch with what appeared to be a lower-body injury.
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Wenski’s remarks come as many in South Florida, the heart of the Haitian community in the country, are reeling after the justices reversed a lower court ruling upholding TPS protections for Haitians.
Adjective
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Aerion Targaryen Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), also known as Aerion Brightflame, is a volatile and cruel Targaryen prince infamous for his arrogance and violent behavior.
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While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
Cite this Entry
“Shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shy. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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