Synonyms for shy
ʃaɪshy

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. shynoun

   Antonyms:
   brazen, bold, audacious

2. shynoun

   Easily frightened; timid.

   a shy bird.

   Antonyms:
   bold, audacious, brazen

3. shyverb

   Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach.

   coconut shy

   Antonyms:
   brazen, bold, audacious

4. shyadjective

   Cautious; wary; suspicious.

   Antonyms:
   brazen, audacious, bold

5. shyadjective

   Antonyms:
   audacious, bold, brazen

6. shyadjective

   Antonyms:
   brazen, bold, audacious

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 3 votes

1. shy

   Synonyms:
   modest, reserved, retiring, unassuming, unobtrusive

   Antonyms:
   impertinent, intrusive, meddlesome, meddling, obtrusive, officious

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.8 / 4 votes

1. shy

   Synonyms:
   timid, reserved, modest, bashful, suspicion, shrinking, chary

   Antonyms:
   bold, brazen-faced, impudent, audacious, reckless

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. shyadjective

   a quick throw

   "he gave the ball a shy to the first baseman"

   Antonyms:
   sufficient, unwary

2. diffident, shy, timid, unsureadjective

   lacking self-confidence

   "stood in the doorway diffident and abashed"; "problems that call for bold not timid responses"; "a very unsure young man"

   Synonyms:
   diffident, faint, shy(p), fainthearted, faint-hearted, timid, uncertain, unsure, incertain

   Antonyms:
   sufficient, unwary

3. shy(p)adjective

   short

   "eleven is one shy of a dozen"

   Antonyms:
   sufficient, unwary

4. shyverb

   wary and distrustful; disposed to avoid persons or things

   "shy of strangers"

   Synonyms:
   shy(p), timid, diffident, unsure

   Antonyms:
   unwary, sufficient

5. shyverb

   start suddenly, as from fright

   Antonyms:
   unwary, sufficient

6. shyverb

   throw quickly

   Antonyms:
   unwary, sufficient

Matched Categories

1. • Start
   • Throw

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. quietadjective

   shy people are quiet and timid

   that girl is quiet and timid

   Submitted by gilliancreedon on December 20, 2022  

2. reticent

   Submitted by anonymous on September 6, 2020  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. shyadjective

   Synonyms:
   coy, reserved, bashful, diffident, timid, sheepish, shame-faced, over-modest

2. shyadjective

   Synonyms:
   cautious, wary, heedful, chary

3. shynoun

   Synonyms:
   sudden start (as of a horse)

4. shynoun

   Synonyms:
   [Colloquial.] fling, throw

5. shyverb

   Synonyms:
   fling, throw, jerk, cast, toss, hurl, FLIRT, chuck, pitch, sling

6. shyverb

   Synonyms:
   sheer, start aside

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. shyadjective

   Synonyms:
   timid, coy, backward, retiring, diffident, wary, cautious, (Slang) short, lacking

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "shy":

   timid, bashful, self-conscious, coy, embarrassed, half-hearted, tentative

Suggested Resources

1. shy

   Song lyrics by shy -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by shy on the Lyrics.com website.

2. SHY

   What does SHY stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the SHY acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce shy?

How to say shy in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use shy in a sentence?

1. Bonnie Lambeth:

   Sara Blackwood really loved' My Little Pony,' sara Blackwood said Sara Blackwood identified the most with Shutterfly because Sara Blackwood was shy like Sara Blackwood.

2. Anna Amimour:

   He was a nice person, a sensitive person, a bit shy but somebody you can rely on. He was generous, someone who loved to laugh and joke, a cheeky little boy.

3. Tim Berners-Lee:

   Yet this research indicates that governments continue to shy away from publishing the very data that can be used to enhance accountability and trust.

4. Alexander Gabuev:

   The economic situation in Russia is deteriorating, and that gives China an upper hand in the relationship, ties between Moscow and Beijing have been asymmetric before Russia was a needier partner, but now this is an asymmetry on steroids where China has the commanding position, and definitely will be not shy to use it going forward.

5. Tim McGraw:

   It was exactly my process, basically, I am an unsure, self-conscious, shy person. That is how I started — even when I was in college —before I would get on stage, I would start drinking. I would start drinking to stop shaking.