governessy

adjective

Definition of governessynext
as in overmodest

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for governessy
  1. prudish
  2. priggish
  3. prim
  4. flirtatious
Adjective
  • Leigh and Olivier, both still married to other people, had to keep their affair under wraps in prudish America.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But rather than interrogate this evil premise, the movie instead feels quite prudish.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of prudish
Adjective
  • Self-righteous and self-important, priggish and nagging.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
  • Ghaywan’s script is explicit but never priggish in its moral standing, letting the outstanding performances drive home the perils of bigotry more than any grandstanding dialogue.
    — Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2025
Definition of priggish
Adjective
  • But these townswomen — whether the undersexed Bakerwoman (Ella Bruccoleri ) or the prim, cruel busybody the Tailor’s Wife (a deliciously scheming Elizabeth Debicki) — are deeply unhappy with their own lot in life.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Miu Miu’s design style under Miuccia Prada centers around classic silhouettes made structural and formal, pairing prim styles with something more masculine, like boxers with blouses.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of prim
Adjective
  • Its sale process was precipitated after files related to Jeffrey Epstein revealed flirtatious emails Wasserman sent in the early 2000s to close Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2026
  • And then there is the captivating presence of a handsome and flirtatious accountant called Nicholas.
    — Malcolm Forbes, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of flirtatious
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.

Browse Nearby Words

governesses
governessy
governing
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Cite this Entry

“Governessy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governessy. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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