Did you know?
The Difference Between Abashed and Unabashed
To abash someone is to shake up their self-possession, as illustrated by Charlotte Brontë in her 1849 novel Shirley: "He had never blushed in his life; no humiliation could abash him." When you are unabashed you make no apologies for your behavior (nor do you attempt to hide or disguise it), but when you are abashed your confidence has been thrown off and you may feel rather inferior or ashamed of yourself. English speakers have been using abashed to describe feelings of embarrassment since the 14th century, but they have only used unabashed (brazenly or otherwise) since the 15th century (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Examples of unabashed in a Sentence
Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
There was an unabashed openness about altering one’s appearance, not just in advertisements and commercials but in casual conversation, too.
—Jane Ciabattari
august 26, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2025
The Uber Eats commercial, which has yet to air, was filmed in Pennsylvania and co-stars actor/director and unabashed Eagles fan Bradley Cooper.
—Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
The series stands alone, especially in one regard, which is key to its appeal: its unabashed and unreflective aspiration.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unabashed
Cite this Entry
“Unabashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unabashed. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share