shyness

Definition of shynessnext
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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 shyness There was no awkwardness or shyness. Andrew McGowan, Variety, 23 May 2026 Historically, in situations involving large numbers of dogs, rescue teams have reported the animals to be agitated, stressed and fearful of human interaction (resulting in shyness or aggression). Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026 That got everybody over their shyness. Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026 In Atlanta, some people living with SAD, as well as social phobia or even simple shyness, are facing their fears in a novel way. Hunter Boyce, AJC.com, 24 Mar. 2026 But shyness and cluelessness kept me from making my rendezvous with the guy that was to aid in that connection. Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026 His quiet tone is not shyness or false modesty but circumspection and a sense of boundaries that imply respect and love for real communication. Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026 Her name is Minnie, but her shyness leans toward the mousy, though no one would ever say that to her, least of all her beloved and extremely outgoing best friend, Callie (Chloe Coleman). Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026 Consider signing up for Toastmasters, a longstanding organization that helps people to break through their shyness and become strong public speakers and communicators. Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shyness
Noun
  • Her skin—something known as Frubber, a porous patented blend of fleshlike elastic polymers—stretched over a structure of plastic and titanium, and there was no flicker of bashfulness.
    Dan Turello, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Wright’s very genuine display of humility is even more evidence of how his fingerprints are all over this Knicks team.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
  • Existential humility benefits other people in someone’s life, from friends and neighbors to strangers.
    Daryl Van Tongeren, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • The Moscow attack was the latest embarrassment for Putin.
    Barry Hatton, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
  • Democrats aren't buying it, saying the White House is simply trying to avoid an embarrassment for the president.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • And Jesus' answer is one takes it through meekness, peacemaking, humility, love, etc.
    Jason DeRose, NPR, 26 May 2026
  • Who has time for affected meekness when playing the braggart not only tickles the soul, but has the potential to convince others of one’s own greatness?
    New York Times, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Their boldness reminds us of our timidity.
    Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
  • But what is different about the downfall of Starmer, which is now under way, has been the timidity of his premiership, its chronic self-doubt, as if its voice were permanently stuck in its throat.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • What the report recommends is telling in its modesty.
    Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
  • This combination of serene confidence and epistemic modesty—this comfort with shades of gray—is rare among contemporary Christians.
    Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • The little people are being menaced by a dark force—a force with power, money, and very few moral inhibitions.
    Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
  • Shrug off inhibitions and break the ice as the moon and Uranus harmonize.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • This ancient beverage, derived from the roots of the Piper methysticum plant, is typically consumed to produce sedative and euphoric effects that might increase sociability and reduce anxiety.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Takefumi explored whether dog ownership could affect sociability by exposing mice to the oral microbiomes found in the dog-owning group, then assessed their social behaviors.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shyness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shyness. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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