timid

adjective

tim·​id ˈti-məd How to pronounce timid (audio)
Synonyms of timidnext
1
: lacking in courage or self-confidence
a timid person
2
: lacking in boldness or determination
a timid policy
timidity noun
timidly adverb
timidness noun

Examples of timid in a Sentence

She's very timid and shy when meeting strangers. He gave her a timid smile.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That bill is a direct response to a Supreme Court that handed the executive branch a dangerous blank check and a Congress too timid to push back. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 Who wants to follow a timid leader, right? Aditya Simha, The Conversation, 7 May 2026 Kyōsei is not a strategy for the timid. Big Think, 7 May 2026 The road movie, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at CAnnes in 2025, stars Sergio Romano and Pierpaolo Capovilla as two fiftysomething men from Italy’s northern Veneto area who befriend a timid student from Naples, played by Filippo Scotti. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for timid

Word History

Etymology

Latin timidus, from timēre to fear

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of timid was circa 1550

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Timid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/timid. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

timid

adjective
tim·​id ˈtim-əd How to pronounce timid (audio)
: feeling or showing a lack of courage or self-confidence : shy
timidity noun
timidly adverb
timidness noun

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