bashful

adjective

bash·​ful ˈbash-fəl How to pronounce bashful (audio)
1
: socially shy or timid : diffident, self-conscious
He was bashful as a child.
2
: resulting from or typical of a bashful nature
a bashful smile
bashfully adverb
bashfulness noun

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The Roots of Bashful

The adjective suffix -ful has a number of different senses, most of which have very little to do with "full of." In the case of bashful, -ful means "having the qualities of." This sense of -ful was combined with an obsolete verb bash meaning "to be abashed” (that is, dismayed or embarrassed) to form bashful, which literally means “having the qualities of being abashed.” This combination of a verb with -ful is also seen in mournful, which literally means “having the qualities of mourning.”

Choose the Right Synonym for bashful

shy, bashful, diffident, modest, coy mean not inclined to be forward.

shy implies a timid reserve and a shrinking from familiarity or contact with others.

shy with strangers

bashful implies a frightened or hesitant shyness characteristic of childhood and adolescence.

a bashful boy out on his first date

diffident stresses a distrust of one's own ability or opinion that causes hesitation in acting or speaking.

felt diffident about raising an objection

modest suggests absence of undue confidence or conceit.

modest about her success

coy implies a pretended shyness.

put off by her coy manner

Examples of bashful in a Sentence

bashful boys asking girls to dance a bashful child who hid in his room whenever there were visitors in the house
Recent Examples on the Web Curry wasn’t bashful about dialing long-distance, with misses coming from as far as 36 and 41 feet. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 As a result, Moscow has not been bashful about helping the Houthis. Hamidreza Azizi, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2024 Another clip shows Teigen scurrying back to her seat, looking bashful from the situation. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 26 Dec. 2023 Corinne Bailey Rae, first known for bashful and yearning mid-2000s pop, debuts her shriek while narrating her subject’s joyous commute. Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2023 The turtles and ducks will eventually grab their share, but bluegills are not bashful, so look for the swirls and pops to judge quality and quantity. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 11 Jan. 2024 Which is perhaps why Morgan portrays the teenage William as bashful, often hiding behind an archetype Bieber-sweep curtain of hair while younger brother Harry (played by Luther Ford) teases him about his adoring fans. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 14 Dec. 2023 Isaac’s smiling affability lends the piece a different tone than Donahoe’s bashful bloke demeanor. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2023 Photos: Getty Images Imagine him as a bashful little forest creature. Vulture, 15 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bashful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Early Modern English bash "to lose composure, be dismayed" (going back to Middle English baishen, basshen, probably aphetic variant of abaissen, abaschen "to abash") + -ful entry 1

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bashful was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near bashful

Cite this Entry

“Bashful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bashful. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bashful

adjective
bash·​ful ˈbash-fəl How to pronounce bashful (audio)
: awkward or afraid around other people
bashfully adverb
bashfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bashful

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