Synonyms for shyness
shy·ness

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. shyness

   Bashfulness is a shrinking from notice without assignable reason. Coyness is a half encouragement, half avoidance of offered attention, and may be real or affected. Diffidence is self-distrust; modesty, a humble estimate of oneself in comparison with others, or with the demands of some undertaking. Modesty has also the specific meaning of a sensitive shrinking from anything indelicate. Shyness is a tendency to shrink from observation; timidity, a distinct fear of criticism, error, or failure. Reserve is the holding oneself aloof from others, or holding back one's feelings from expression, or one's affairs from communication to others. Reserve may be the retreat of shyness, or, on the other hand, the contemptuous withdrawal of pride and haughtiness. Compare ABASH; PRIDE; TACITURN.

   Synonyms:
   backwardness, bashfulness, coldness, constraint, coyness, diffidence, modesty, reserve, timidity, unobtrusiveness

   Antonyms:
   abandon, arrogance, assumption, assurance, boldness, conceit, confidence, egotism, forwardness, frankness, freedom, haughtiness, impudence, indiscretion, loquaciousness, loquacity, pertness, sauciness, self-conceit, self-sufficiency, sociability

Princeton's WordNet

1. shynessnoun

   a feeling of fear of embarrassment

Matched Categories

1. • Timidity

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. shynessnoun

   Synonyms:
   diffidence, coyness, timidity, bashfulness

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

1. List of paraphrases for "shyness":

   timidity

How to pronounce shyness?

How to say shyness in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use shyness in a sentence?

1. Kristie Poole:

   It is likely that the experience of … shyness in response to a speech task is a relatively common, normative experience for children at this age, for a smaller group of temperamentally shy children, however, being the center of attention may be stressful across time and various contexts.

2. J. B. Priestley:

   Many a man is praised for his reserve and so-called shyness when he is simply too proud to risk making a fool of himself.

3. Achmad Sukarsono:

   The only way for the opposition to win is to debunk the argument that Jokowi is one of the masses, and to attack his weakest spot, which is his shyness in showing his religion.

4. Lady Bird Johnson:

   The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.

5. Katie Leung:

   I always had a problem with shyness at school and would never stick my hand up in class if I was stuck at something. I didn't want to be the center of attention, all those eyes looking at me would have made me really nervous.