shied

verb

past tense of shy
as in flinched

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shied
  1. flinched
  2. recoiled
  3. winced
  4. shrank
Verb
  • Then the pianist flinched and the leader sprinted off the stage.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The teen in the green sweatshirt, Williams, momentarily flinched from the gunshot.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of flinched
Verb
  • But the risks of fame — the kind her friends at Daisy Chain Fields have won, savored and recoiled from — is settling in too.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Like his fellow revolutionaries, Jefferson recoiled from such aspects of empire, past and present.
    — Jackson Lears, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of recoiled
Verb
  • Back on the broadcast, Nantz immediately winced and grabbed his hand.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • My husband walked into the room and winced as one of the women changed into a perfect re-creation of an American Girl–doll outfit (very theater kid, not his thing).
    — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of winced
Verb
  • Whether DeSantis’ redistricting effort delivers for Republicans Florida’s new congressional maps shrunk the number of Democratic-leaning seats from eight to four.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The actuators push a piston with pressurized oil, much like the arm of an excavator, only shrunk down.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of shrank
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

shibboleths
shied
shied (from or away from)
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Cite this Entry

“Shied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shied. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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