2
: affected by or showing embarrassment caused by consciousness of a fault
a sheepish grin
sheepishly
adverb
sheepishness
noun
Examples of sheepish in a Sentence
He felt a little sheepish.
a sheepish scholar who is most comfortable when surrounded by books
Recent Examples on the Web
Guests of the event, dressed up in cocktail attire, admitted to feeling sheepish, reminded so powerfully about the current context, and hurried their way inside the storied building more quickly than in previous editions.
—
Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2025
Red-cheeked and reticent, the duo shook their heads and took their sheepish leave.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Viewers on TikTok were quick to resonate, with many going on to share images of their own dogs looking somewhat awkward and sheepish in recent pictures.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
In the first earnings call after its catastrophic rebrand, which triggered an immediate customer backlash and forced a sheepish reversal, the company reported a 5.4% increase in comparable store restaurant sales and a 4.4% revenue gain in fourth quarter 2025, adjusting for the 53rd week in 2024.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sheepish
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Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2025
Red-cheeked and reticent, the duo shook their heads and took their sheepish leave.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Viewers on TikTok were quick to resonate, with many going on to share images of their own dogs looking somewhat awkward and sheepish in recent pictures.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
In the first earnings call after its catastrophic rebrand, which triggered an immediate customer backlash and forced a sheepish reversal, the company reported a 5.4% increase in comparable store restaurant sales and a 4.4% revenue gain in fourth quarter 2025, adjusting for the 53rd week in 2024.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sheepish
Cite this Entry
“Sheepish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sheepish. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sheepish
adjective
sheep·ish
ˈshē-pish 
1
: resembling a sheep (as in being meek or shy)
2
: embarrassed especially over being found out in a fault
a sheepish look
sheepishly
adverb
sheepishness
noun
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