unabashed

adjective

un·​abashed ˌən-ə-ˈbasht How to pronounce unabashed (audio)
: not abashed : undisguised, unapologetic
unabashedly adverb

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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

She is an unabashed supporter of the president's policies. unabashed by their booing and hissing, he continued with his musical performance
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.
Bey, ever ready to add some joy to our drab lives dressed up in garb that was inspired by countless looks by an unabashed style icon, Pamela Anderson. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 6 Nov. 2024 In December 2023, Sydney Sweeney starred with Glen Powell in Anyone But You, Sony Pictures’ romantic comedy that became an unabashed box office success, making $220 million on a budget of $25 million. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024 Trump is an unabashed authoritarian, and authoritarianism is anathema to liberty. Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2024 Gill, who was the focus of the film Dumb Money, has been an unabashed GameStop bull for years, posting on Twitter/X as Roaring Kitty and on Reddit under the name DeepF—ingValue. Chris Morris, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unabashed 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English unabaiste, from un- + abaiste, past participle of abaissen, abaishen to abash

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unabashed was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near unabashed

Cite this Entry

“Unabashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unabashed. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

unabashed

adjective
un·​abashed ˌən-ə-ˈbasht How to pronounce unabashed (audio)
: not abashed : not embarrassed or ashamed
unabashedly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unabashed

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