as in timidity
the quality or state of lacking confidence or assertiveness
He met the girl's gaze with awkward diffidence.
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Recent Examples of diffidence
The concern now is not diffidence in New Delhi, but diffidence in Washington.
—
Nirupama Rao, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2025
Between the sticks - Bayern seem reluctant to retire Neuer but this diffidence is helping no one.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
At its best, the uncomfortably intimate aesthetic of the films combined with the general diffidence at their heart attempted to epitomize a generational temperament and linguistic sensibility.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2024
One reason for the diffidence may be that Shao-Horn already has another project for building larger electrodes to be used in EV applications.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 June 2010
See All Example Sentences for diffidence
Nirupama Rao, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2025
Between the sticks - Bayern seem reluctant to retire Neuer but this diffidence is helping no one.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
At its best, the uncomfortably intimate aesthetic of the films combined with the general diffidence at their heart attempted to epitomize a generational temperament and linguistic sensibility.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2024
One reason for the diffidence may be that Shao-Horn already has another project for building larger electrodes to be used in EV applications.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 June 2010
See All Example Sentences for diffidence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diffidence
Noun
-
Reverence for the past, and reluctance to destroy until the risks of destruction are fully known, is not timidity but wisdom, in architecture as in life.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The timidity of the tactics was utterly shameful.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This one strikes a mid-century chord with its wide face and retro time display, with an atomic dial and silent-sweep movement to maximize quietness.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
21 Oct. 2025
-
But, unsurprisingly, his favorite aspect of the place is its profound quietness.—
Rosecrans Baldwin,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Jacoby Brissett is the unquestioned starter with Murray now on injured reserve.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Red Lobster On Veterans Day, all veterans, active-duty military, and reserves can get a free Shrimp & Chips entrée, which comes with Walt’s Favorite Shrimp, fries, and coleslaw.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
For him, embracing this year’s Palme d’Or winner as France’s Oscar submission — giving Panahi a platform that had long been out of reach — felt like a natural next step for an ecosystem that has consistently embraced global auteurs.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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Three states have announced their submissions of their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) plans to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) this week.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Although it’s still considered rare, it’s often misdiagnosed as shyness — which can delay treatment.—
Erin Silvia,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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And the ego needed to overcome shyness and stage fright collides with the endless rejection that defines the profession.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Diffidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diffidence. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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