1
as in bashfulness
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2
as in humility
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Recent Examples of shyness
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
Many in Syria’s dissident circles at first found Bashar’s awkwardness and shyness appealing.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
But terpsichorean shyness isn’t Josh’s problem.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Strategic silence is not shyness or introversion.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Cultural ambassadors, two from Greenland and two from Nunavut, led interactive presentations on language, housing, and the nuances of specific behaviors like inherent shyness and drum dancing to settle disputes.
—Jillian Dara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
And that eye could see past Dorothy’s drab uniform and Cindy Brady pigtails, her tall girl’s diffidence and her sweet girl’s shyness, to the bombshell smoldering underneath.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
Manuel, for all his shyness, had been a regular on a recreational baseball team.
—Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 30 Dec. 2025
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
Many in Syria’s dissident circles at first found Bashar’s awkwardness and shyness appealing.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
But terpsichorean shyness isn’t Josh’s problem.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Strategic silence is not shyness or introversion.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Cultural ambassadors, two from Greenland and two from Nunavut, led interactive presentations on language, housing, and the nuances of specific behaviors like inherent shyness and drum dancing to settle disputes.
—Jillian Dara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
And that eye could see past Dorothy’s drab uniform and Cindy Brady pigtails, her tall girl’s diffidence and her sweet girl’s shyness, to the bombshell smoldering underneath.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
Manuel, for all his shyness, had been a regular on a recreational baseball team.
—Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 30 Dec. 2025
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
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Present day history maker Croak is the embodiment of innovation, resilience and humility, Green said.—
Francine Knowles,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
My background as an engineer, business advisor, and community builder has prepared me to lead with rigor, humility, and collaboration.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Well, there was a great deal left in me, in an agony of embarrassment looking around for that hole on the floor to crawl into.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
-
But anomaly detection may have prevented embarrassments like the one at OPERA.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
May the Spirit of God, who is truth and strength, and instils meekness and courage, sustain you.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Most Canadians want uncomplicated lives, a desire for calm that can be misinterpreted by louder people as meekness.—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But German timidity before Israel’s moral blackmail only partly explains Habermas’s callous attitude toward the country’s Palestinian victims.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Even in the face of Hollywood’s timidity, some American independent animators have managed to push their offbeat visions through as features made with limited resources.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Offering a subtle touch of modesty, this tunic features extra coverage for your backside.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2026
-
His reflections on the controversies and critical snubbings that greeted movies that have since become consensus masterpieces are nuanced without descending into false modesty.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In a race to find out who caused this marital mayhem, emotions will be high, inhibitions will be low, and everyone will have access to an open bar.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
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Lepley studies how muscles of the upper leg shut down after a knee injury — a process called muscle inhibition.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Shyness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shyness. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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