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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
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
An era brimming with open-hearted romanticism and unabashed honesty, Dunn-Edwards’ Cabaret is the perfect paint color for anyone looking to connect with their feminine side and conjure an enchanting space that also feels empowering.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2025
Trump, at least publicly, isn’t exactly making that process any easier and his political allies have pressed the White House to appoint an unabashed loyalist, people familiar with the matter told CNN.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
ComEd remains unabashed in seeking dramatic rate increases.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 June 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 24 Aug. 2025.
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