| Main Entry: | |
| 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self-effacing, shrinking, timid, timorous, unaffable, unassertive, unassuming, unexpansive, unsociable, withdrawing, withdrawn |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: | antisocial |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | nonparticipating; avoiding company |
| Synonyms: | alienated, ascetic, asocial, austere, cold, cynical, eremetic, hermitlike, introverted, misanthropic, reclusive, remote, reserved, retiring, solitary, standoffish, uncommunicative, unfriendly, unsociable, withdrawn |
| Notes: | to be antisocial is to be hostile to or disruptive of the established social order, marked by or engaging in behavior that violates accepted mores; while being unsociable means one is not disposed to seek the company of others or is reserved |
| Antonyms: | friendly, fun-loving, participating, sociable |
| Main Entry: | backward |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | bashful |
| Synonyms: | afraid, averse, demure, diffident, disinclined, hesitant, hesitating, humble, indisposed, late, loath, modest, reluctant, reserved, retiring, shy, sluggish, tardy, timid, uneager, unwilling, wavering |
| Antonyms: | aggressive, forward, precocious, unshy |
| Main Entry: | bashful |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | shy |
| Synonyms: | abashed, backward, blushful, blushing, chary, confused, constrained, coy, demure, diffident, embarrassed, humble, modest, nervous, overmodest, recoiling, reserved, reticent, retiring, self-conscious, self-effacing, shamefaced, sheepish, shrinking, silent, timid, timorous, unassertive, verecund |
| Antonyms: | confident, unabashed, unshy |
| Main Entry: | cowardly |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | fearful |
| Synonyms: | afraid, anxious, apprehensive, backward, base, caitiff, chicken-hearted, cowering, cowhearted, craven, dastardly, diffident, dismayed, fainthearted, frightened, gutless, having the willies, jittery, lacking courage, lily-livered, nervous, no guts, panicky, paper tiger, pigeonhearted, pusillanimous, recreant, retiring, running scared, scared, shrinking, shy, soft*, spineless, timid, timorous, weak, weak-kneed, worthless, yellow*, yellow-bellied |
| Antonyms: | bold, brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, unafraid, undaunted, unfearful |
| Main Entry: | coy |
| 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: | distant |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | aloof |
| Synonyms: | arrogant, ceremonious, cold, cool, formal, haughty, insociable, laid back, modest, offish, on ice, proud, put on airs, remote, reserved, restrained, reticent, retiring, shy, solitary, standoff, standoffish, stiff, stuck-up, unapproachable, uncompanionable, unconcerned, unfriendly, unsociable, uppity, withdrawn |
| Antonyms: | friendly, kind, sympathetic, warm |