as in shy
easily frightened
a timid rabbit hopped cautiously out of the hedge
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of timid
Lucerys was younger than Jacaerys and slightly more timid, but still wanted to help gather alliances for Rhaenyra.
—
Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
The REITs are timid in other ways.
—Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Obama was too timid and the ayatollah and the Revolutionary Guard cracked down, preserving the system of tyranny.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
This means the country’s appetite for bold exploration, which the compact between science and government supported for decades, may be gone, too—leaving in its place more timid, short-term thinking.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
The REITs are timid in other ways.
—Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Obama was too timid and the ayatollah and the Revolutionary Guard cracked down, preserving the system of tyranny.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
This means the country’s appetite for bold exploration, which the compact between science and government supported for decades, may be gone, too—leaving in its place more timid, short-term thinking.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for timid
Adjective
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On the other hand, this contrast with prior Fed picks could make Rieder even more attractive to Trump, who is not shy about busting norms.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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On Bridgerton, Penelope starts off as the somewhat shy and overlooked Featherington daughter.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Alberto Carvalho said promoting outside play is especially important for children after the city was roiled by immigration raids and many fearful parents kept families indoors.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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This is an inevitable consequence of both political parties, fearful of their extremes, punting for years on an immigration policy that secured the borders and offered a path forward for those who have been here for years and likely now reside in families of mixed citizenship status.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The lesser among them, the timorous, the doubtful, and the wavering, stood back, watching, waiting for some greater sign, savoring their doubts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
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The great danger of that moment was that a political backlash — abetted by a furious media and timorous politicians — would lead to a restoration of the policy of Roe.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Director Marianna Bassham loves working on pieces that are a bit scary.—
Courtney Cole,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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George Price wasn’t some scary underworld figure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Children are particularly vulnerable due to their smaller size and natural reaction when scared.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
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Children of color are scared to be out on the streets and in their cars.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Less well defined is the character of Miss Delavigne, although she’s wonderfully portrayed by Englert, who retreats into this mousy persona.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
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Howell brings his mousy charm to the insecure Dennis Whitaker on The Pitt.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Hundreds of volunteers have packed and delivered grocery boxes to families too afraid to leave their homes.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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People are so afraid to go out and participate in public life regardless of their citizenship status.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Barry’s little sister, who answered the call, was terrified.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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But there’s plenty of agonized screaming, as well as lots of closeups of terrified faces.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Timid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/timid. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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