1
as in timid
easily frightened
a shy cat who hid under the bed every time she heard any loud noise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
a shy person who finds talking to anyone but a close friend to be an awkward and unpleasant experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
the team is shy a couple of players because of illness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in notorious
not respectable
she was nervous about being left alone in a shy bar in a bad section of town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of shy
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Don’t shy away from small opportunities Speak up for yourself when the stakes are low to practice navigating conflict, Pryor recommends.
—Megan Sauer, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2025
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
Disney has not been shy about using bundles to expand the potential customer base for its streaming services, which also include Hulu and Disney+.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Adjective
The Padres, after all, have never shied away from seeing if big outfielders (Joshua Mears, James Wood, etc.) can hold down center field.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Don’t shy away from small opportunities Speak up for yourself when the stakes are low to practice navigating conflict, Pryor recommends.
—Megan Sauer, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
With 43 homers, Cal Raleigh is just five shy of Salvador Pérez’s record 48 homers by a catcher and he’s got 43 games left in the season.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
Disney has not been shy about using bundles to expand the potential customer base for its streaming services, which also include Hulu and Disney+.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shy
Adjective
-
This isn’t a timid little girl walking into a wedding night with Joffrey.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
25 Aug. 2025
-
In many ways, this was pretty much the ideal day after the timid 1-0 defeat to promoted Leeds United on Monday.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Unfortunately, further discussions were heated, with no resolve, just more withdrawn behavior while the communications continued.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Transfer deadline day is notorious for its frenetic nature, with clubs scrambling to complete deals at the very last minute and staff and fans alike staying up until the early hours.—
Leon Imber,
New York Times,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Hepburn was notorious for refusing to play ingénues and insisted on characters with wit, grit and a pointed refusal to apologize for their ambition.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Bingo momentarily flinches, and Atlas rolls onto his back in response.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
-
And a coalition of political officials who won’t flinch at a billion-dollar deal.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
Her brand of studied, bashful flightiness began to seem more passé than winkingly subversive.—
Mayukh Sen,
The Atlantic,
9 July 2025
-
The next morning, Onley was bashful at hearing that praise.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Aug. 2025
-
This has meant that for years, national esports events have featured lower tier players as the big names have been focused on winning world championships with their clubs.—
Mike Stubbs,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
During that infamous July 5 storm, one of his time-lapses went viral, the kind of cinematic footage that hinted at where his storm-chasing career was headed.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Palencia is about as subtle as Chicago’s infamous Polar Bear plunge into Lake Michigan.—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As sales have dwindled and demand has shrunk in recent months, inventory has started piling across the country, especially in the South, giving buyers more power over sellers and slowly shifting the market in their favor.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Brenner argues that shrinking the model sacrifices detail, but his design strengthens every unit.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shy. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share