as in shy
easily frightened
a timid rabbit hopped cautiously out of the hedge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hesitation
lack of willingness to assert oneself and take risks
none of the scouts showed the least timidity about rappeling down the cliff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of timid
Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
His hope is to create a new incentive for these timid business leaders, by wiping out a quarter billion or more from their combined market cap.
—Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Reverence for the past, and reluctance to destroy until the risks of destruction are fully known, is not timidity but wisdom, in architecture as in life.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Adjective
Those words seemingly caused Tagovailoa to play timid in 2025.
—Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
His hope is to create a new incentive for these timid business leaders, by wiping out a quarter billion or more from their combined market cap.
—Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Reverence for the past, and reluctance to destroy until the risks of destruction are fully known, is not timidity but wisdom, in architecture as in life.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for timid
Adjective
-
In virtually staged listing photos, the floorboards are black and polished, the walls are white, and, in lieu of a wall dividing the bedroom from the living and dining, there are custom double-sided bookshelves just shy of the roughly 13-foot ceiling.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The pair were on their way to Kennedy’s cousin Rory’s wedding when his plane crashed off of Martha’s Vineyard on the evening of Friday, July 16, 1999, killing all three passengers on board instantly — roughly two months shy of the couple’s third wedding anniversary.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her hesitation reflects a broader moment of turbulence across the travel industry – one driven not by a single crisis, but by a convergence of them.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Some Republicans who could cast key votes on this are expressing hesitation or outright opposition.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The measure passed the Senate 89-10 but now faces a challenging path in the House of Representatives, where Republicans, who have the majority, are fearful of being forced into a bad deal.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Singh, however, argued that Jones was not coerced but fearful of the consequences.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Geopolitical tensions – including the war in Iran – have revived fears of terrorism and instability.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The new orders have added to fears that Israel is seeking to essentially cut off swaths of southern Lebanon from the rest of the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 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
-
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
Noun
-
Underwood and his players downplayed their concerns about playing Houston in its home city.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Hitting was a major concern last regular season for the Rangers, who got middling production in terms of home runs (18th) and RBIs (19th) and struggled to consistently get on base, ranking 26th in batting average and OBP.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The scariest reality may be that most defense innovation comes from desperation.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Robbing a bank was a bit scary, because the owners of the bank wanted to be in the thing.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At war while worries about jobs and household costs linger, his approval is down.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Another worry is whether residential and small-business customers will see their bills go up to help cover the costs of the new power needed.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Timid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/timid. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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