as in fearful
easily frightened
a timid rabbit hopped cautiously out of the hedge
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Gaby Keiderling, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2025
The front office never has been timid since Pagliocca took over as GM.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Indulgence can tip over into self-indulgence all too easily; holding back can result in a timidity that makes a song sound at odds with its subject.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Adjective
Lemurs are naturally shy and timid, requiring a keen eye and quiet footsteps to spot them.
—Gaby Keiderling, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2025
The front office never has been timid since Pagliocca took over as GM.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
With a mix of timidity and emotion, Ferentz held the game ball in the locker room.
—Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Indulgence can tip over into self-indulgence all too easily; holding back can result in a timidity that makes a song sound at odds with its subject.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for timid
Adjective
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At one point, the pup even tried to avoid eye contact and looked away instead, but couldn’t resist glancing back at the cat with nothing but a fearful expression.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
He's questioned his online presence, fearful of feeding the habits of those struggling with screen addiction.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Swinney has been openly critical of the evolving college football landscape, showing strong hesitation to bend his long-standing coaching philosophies.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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Machiavelli expressed the idea in The Prince that choosing a side—regardless of the outcome—is always better than neutrality, asserting that action preserves options while hesitation loses them.—
Koray Köse,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
On two third-and-10s, Hurts threw to Brown just shy of the first-down sticks.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
-
In dollar terms, the total commitment from Blackstone will be just shy of $135 billion, at current exchange rates.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But after nearly two years of bloodshed in Gaza, and the proliferation of Israeli outposts in the occupied West Bank, fears are mounting that Palestinian statehood is a fading prospect.—
Tara John,
CNN Money,
22 Sep. 2025
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The shooting has stirred fear among some Americans that Trump is trying to harness outrage over the killing as justification to suppress the voices of his critics and political opponents.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Twin Cities,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kimmel, who has spent most of his late-night career as a flippant but not particularly scandalous figure, acknowledged just how scary things had become that the White House might take aim at him.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Halloween, naturally scary, but also naturally really weird.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Emily Warren, a state deputy transportation secretary, emailed the Tesla public-policy staffer and top officials at two other state agencies overseeing autonomous vehicles, citing concern over public misconceptions about Tesla’s Bay Area plans.—
Chris Kirkham,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
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Trying to overcome those concerns, Newsom and liberal influencers held a three hour long telethon, doubling down on their messaging.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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
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Hundreds of timorous Timothée Chalamet lookalikes congregated in Washington Square Park.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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For Washington, there was a worry that the team was becoming too reliant on Daniels.—
Mark Kern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
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The worries of the group also extended beyond their business operations.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Timid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/timid. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.
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