| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | very modest |
| Synonyms: | backward, bashful, blushing, coquettish, demure, diffident, evasive, flirtatious, humble, kittenish, overmodest, prudish, rabbity, reserved, retiring, self-effacing, shrinking, shy, skittish, timid, unassertive |
| Antonyms: | aggressive, forward, immodest, impudent, unshy |
| Main Entry: | demure |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | reserved, affected |
| Synonyms: | backward, bashful, blushing, close, coy, decorous, diffident, earnest, humble, modest, nice, prim, prissy, proper, prudish, reticent, retiring, sedate, serious, shy, silent, skittish, sober, solemn, staid, strait-laced, timid, unassertive, unassuming, unassured |
| Notes: | demur is the verb 'to object or voice opposition' while demure is the adjective meaning 'modest, shy' |
| Antonyms: | aggressive, bold, extroverted, outgoing, shameless, strong |
| Main Entry: | diffident |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | hesitant; unconfident |
| Synonyms: | backward, bashful, blenching, chary, constrained, coy, demure, distrustful, doubtful, dubious, flinching, humble, insecure, meek, modest, mousy, rabbity, reluctant, reserved, retiring, self-conscious, self-effacing, sheepish, shrinking, shy, suspicious, timid, timorous, unassertive, unassuming, unassured, unobtrusive, unpoised, unsure, withdrawn |
| Antonyms: | bold, confident |
| Main Entry: | flirtatious |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | provocative, teasing |
| Synonyms: | amorous, arch, come-hither, come-on, coquettish, coy, dallying, enticing, flirty, libidinous, spoony, sportive |
| Antonyms: | cool, modest, shy, unprovocative |
| Main Entry: | kittenish |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | frisky, playful |
| Synonyms: | childish, coquettish, coy, elvish, flirtatious, frolicsome, fun-loving, impish, jaunty, mischievous, sportive |
| Antonyms: | lethargic, stiff, unplayful |
| Main Entry: | modest |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | shy |
| Synonyms: | bashful, blushing, chaste, coy, demure, diffident, discreet, humble, lowly, meek, moderate, nice, proper, prudent, quiet, reserved, resigned, reticent, retiring, seemly, self-conscious, self-effacing, sheepish, silent, simple, temperate, timid, unassertive, unassuming, unassured, unboastful, unobtrusive, unpresuming, unpretending, unpretentious, withdrawing |
| Antonyms: | arrogant, assured, bold, brave, conceited, courageous, egotistical, proud, self-confident, unabashed, unashamed |
| Main Entry: | retiring |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | shy, undemonstrative |
| Synonyms: | backward, bashful, coy, demure, diffident, humble, meek, modest, nongregarious, not forward, quiet, rabbity, recessive, reclusive, reserved, restrained, reticent, self-effacing, shrinking, timid, timorous, unaffable, unassertive, unassuming, unexpansive, unsociable, withdrawing, withdrawn |
| Antonyms: | demonstrative, extroverted, outgoing, self-confident |
| Main Entry: | shy |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | quiet and self-conscious |
| Synonyms: | afraid, apprehensive, averse, backward, bashful, cautious, chary, circumspect, conscious, coy, demure, diffident, disinclined, distrustful, fearful, hesitant, humble, indisposed, introvert, introverted, loath, loner, modest, nervous, recessive, reluctant, reserved, reticent, retiring, self-effacing, shamefaced, sheepish, shrinking, skittish, suspicious, timid, unassertive, unassured, uneager, uneffusive, unresponsive, unsocial, unwilling, wary |
| Antonyms: | confident, extroverted, unashamed, unreserved, unshy |
| Main Entry: | timid |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | shy |
| Synonyms: | afraid, ambivalent, apprehensive, badgered, bashful, browbeaten, bullied, capricious, cowardly, cowed, cowering, coy, daunted, demure, diffident, fainthearted, fearful, feeble, frightened, gentle, having cold feet, humble, intimidated, irresolute, milquetoast, modest, mousy, nervous, pusillanimous, retiring, shaky, shrinking, soft, spineless, spiritless, submissive, timid, timorous, trembling, unassertive, unassured, unnerved, vacillating, wavering, weak, yellow* |
| Notes: | timid is used of a person's character or disposition; timorous is used of a person's action or behavior |
| Antonyms: | bold, brave, daring, extroverted, fearless |