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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demure
Desai remembers meeting a young woman who was withdrawn and demure, answering with ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘no ma’am’.
—
Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The whole family opted for demure attire, with Bateman layering a chocolate brown button-down shirt over a black T-shirt, and Anka pairing a chic black vest with a slip skirt.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Sofia the First boasts a princess who is not demure, but instead loves adventure and stands up for what’s right.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 20 Aug. 2025
Their latest collab was much more demure—and easy to achieve at your local salon or at home.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for demure
Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The whole family opted for demure attire, with Bateman layering a chocolate brown button-down shirt over a black T-shirt, and Anka pairing a chic black vest with a slip skirt.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Sofia the First boasts a princess who is not demure, but instead loves adventure and stands up for what’s right.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 20 Aug. 2025
Their latest collab was much more demure—and easy to achieve at your local salon or at home.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for demure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demure
Adjective
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These delicate velvet bows are slightly understated; pin them to the tree in lieu of ornaments for a charming coquettish vibe or have the two join forces for maximum drama.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
21 Oct. 2025
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Nab this charming bag, which comes in all sorts of coquettish florals and prints that flawlessly fit the aesthetic.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Running back Ryan Walters was just shy of 100 yards picking up 99 on 16 carries.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
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Now McCaffrey is four yards shy of reaching 600 rushing yards and joining a club with Marshall Faulk and Brian Westbrook as the only NFL players with four seasons of 600-plus yards both rushing and receiving.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This meek performance prompted a furious reaction from the fanbase.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Tessa Thompson stars as the willful heroine, married to a rather meek academic, George Tesman (Tom Bateman), who’s angling for an important university position.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Beam reps are pretty coy about this, and their non-answer seems to verify that this is indeed a distinct possibility.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
2 Nov. 2025
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His coy response notwithstanding, Newsom has been developing a national image with a possible presidential run in mind, soliciting national media attention and making appearances in other states.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Set in Taiwan in 1988, Girl revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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Unfortunately, further discussions were heated, with no resolve, just more withdrawn behavior while the communications continued.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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From bright, bold hard-shell spinners to the humble duffel bag, carry-on luggage comes in seemingly endless varieties.—
Sal Vaglica,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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Well, maybe not cheering, exactly, but at least nodding in mild appreciation at a movie that realizes its humble and happy purpose.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Seductively kittenish, Gardner lives up to her profane reputation.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2023
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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
Adjective
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At times, the new mom gets bashful about the attention she’s received since returning to the team.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
3 Oct. 2025
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Livestreaming isn’t the same as actually being there and seeing the fabric flow, the textures, the audience reaction and the bashful designer with their head down, forced onto the runway at the end of each show.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demure. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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