adj

shy

sheye

adj

Nervous or uncomfortable around other people; reluctant to draw attention to oneself.

"He was too shy to ask her to dance."

"The shy new student barely spoke on her first day."

Just short of or falling below a stated amount.

"The company came in just shy of its sales target."

verb

To move back suddenly out of fear or caution.

"The horse shied away from the loud noise."

How to Use Shy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishNervous about social attention, or (informally) just under a certain number.

Common pairings

shy away from painfully shy shy of the target

Word Forms

shier comparative, shyer comparative, more shy comparative, shied past tense, shies plural, Shys plural, shies singular, shiest superlative, most shy superlative, shyest superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

He was too _____ to ask her to dance.

Etymology

From Old English sceoh, "timid, easily frightened."

Synonyms

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abashed backward bashful bookish coy distant embarrassed hesitant mousy unassertive quiet passive

Antonyms

audacious barefaced brazen bold impudent immodest unblushing confident

Related Words

close bold sound certain near obsolete quiet noise

Rhymes for shy

fishy cushy mushy pushy bushy Joshy fleshy trashy flashy squishy

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abashed backward bashful bookish coy distant embarrassed hesitant mousy unassertive quiet passive