1
as in coquettish
affecting shyness or modesty in order to attract masculine interest
the previously demure maiden began making some surprisingly shocking remarks
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shy
not comfortable around people
hesitant and demure, she hardly spoke a word at the banquet table
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in meek
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness
wore a very demure outfit to the interview for the job at the church's headquarters
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Recent Examples of demure
His clothing choices can sometimes be as provocative as his opinions: On a recent trip to Japan, Mr. Piker wore a tight French maid’s outfit, a pair of fuzzy cat ears and a demure string of pearls while streaming from one of the country’s maid cafes.
—
Jack Crosbie, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Galego’s demure courage was widely admired, and Shadows In The Garden was among the works to quickly find a buyer on opening night.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
As the sartorial pendulum swings back from demure Bayonetta glasses, Tracee Ellis Ross and Dua Lipa have both embraced thick, face-eclipsing frames.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025
While classic black leather is hard to beat, the shoes come in a broad array of colors, including bright bold hues, demure neturals, and even metallics.
—Nina Derwin, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demure
Jack Crosbie, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Galego’s demure courage was widely admired, and Shadows In The Garden was among the works to quickly find a buyer on opening night.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
As the sartorial pendulum swings back from demure Bayonetta glasses, Tracee Ellis Ross and Dua Lipa have both embraced thick, face-eclipsing frames.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025
While classic black leather is hard to beat, the shoes come in a broad array of colors, including bright bold hues, demure neturals, and even metallics.
—Nina Derwin, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demure
Adjective
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Keisha is a smart and confident track star whose circumstances pushed her to mature early, while Justin is a shy, music-loving guy who struggles with schoolwork.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
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The country music singer, 57, and the actress, 57, arrived for the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco, Texas, on May 8, in chic, coordinating all black looks and were not shy about putting their love on display.—
Colson Thayer,
People.com,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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According to the latest report from L.A.’s film office, production days on location decreased more than 22 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with an already meek period in 2024.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
2 May 2025
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Democrats, unable either to diagnose or to admit to their own failings, measured their victories in the meekest of triumphs, and seemed to have lost all sense of purpose, direction, and proportion.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Kim, however, told Spectrum News that her ideal cap is $62,000 — a number Malliotakis was coy on.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
8 May 2025
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During an interview with People magazine at the time, Hamrick confirmed the ring was a gift from Jagger but remained coy about its potential meaning.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Its influence on the withdrawn protagonist, Jamie (played by Owen Cooper), is largely implied.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
16 Apr. 2025
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The withdrawn San Francisco drama, about lonely nonbinary nanny and restaurant server Cass (Asia Kate Dillon), is simple in its presentation, but disguises numerous layers to its story.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Netflix 19 of 20 A Tale of Two Kitchens (2019) The modest length of this short — which clocks in at 30 minutes — reflects its humble attitude.—
Katie Rife,
EW.com,
11 May 2025
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Flatten It Out Sea turtles don't have much mobility on land, and even the humblest sand structure can be a major obstacle to nesting females making their way across the sand or to hatchlings heading back toward the water.—
Katie Akin,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Madelyn Cline went full-on Old Hollywood bombshell, kittenish liner, polished lengths, and all.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2023
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With a basis of flawless skin—smoothing and hydration offered via Kylie Skin Face Moisturizer and Eye Cream—Phillips pulled a thick wing of black liner along Jenner's lids, a diminutive wing beneath the lower lashline providing a kittenish complement.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
13 Sep. 2021
Adjective
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Cher was bashful to be busted but then couldn’t help laughing out loud at the audacity.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Or maybe the movie’s stars are just feeling a bit bashful!—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The news sent stock indexes to their highest levels in weeks, before ending the day with more modest gains.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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As one sign of the modest pace of progress, just 2,021 permits to install new heating and cooling systems have been filed since 2017.—
Jonathan Bowles,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demure. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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