diffident

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The slight turbo lag and diffident throttle behavior at low speed goes away.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

But the overarching tone, across the board, is oddly diffident.

From Slate • Apr. 25, 2025

Conservative leadership contender James Cleverly claims he has been "underestimated" throughout his political career because he has been too "diffident" about his achievements.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2024

Until now, Scott has been a largely diffident presence in the movies, having distinguished himself most prominently as a masterly TV foil: the Moriarty to Benedict Cumberbatch’s “Sherlock,” the “hot priest” to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Fleabag.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2023

His parents are diffident around Maxine, at first keeping their distance, not boisterous as they typically are around their Bengali friends.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri