once bitten, twice shy
idiom
—used to mean that a person who has failed or been hurt when trying to do something is careful or fearful about doing it again
Examples of once bitten, twice shy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If Ellison was once bitten, twice shy, what keeps a sailor like Haynes coming back for more?
—
Andrew Rice, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
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.
Andrew Rice, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Once bitten, twice shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/once%20bitten%2C%20twice%20shy. Accessed 28 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share