If you describe someone as timorous, you mean that they are frightened and nervous of other people and situations.
[literary]
He is a reclusive, timorous creature.
Synonyms: timid, nervous, shy, retiring More Synonyms of timorous
2. adjective
If you describe someone's actions or decisions as timorous, you are criticizing them for being too cautious or weak, because the person is not very confident and is worried about the possible consequences of their actions.
[disapproval]
Some delegates believe the final declaration is likely to be too timorous.
timorous in British English
(ˈtɪmərəs)
adjective
1.
fearful or timid
2.
indicating fear or timidity
Derived forms
timorously (ˈtimorously)
adverb
timorousness (ˈtimorousness)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Old French temoros, from Medieval Latin timōrōsus, from Latin timor fear, from timēre to be afraid
timorous in American English
(ˈtɪmərɛs)
adjective
1.
full of or subject to fear; timid
2.
showing or caused by timidity
SIMILAR WORDS: aˈfraid
Derived forms
timorously (ˈtimorously)
adverb
timorousness (ˈtimorousness)
noun
Word origin
ME tymerouse < MFr timoreus < ML timorosus < L timor, fear
Examples of 'timorous' in a sentence
timorous
(Diane was not a timorous woman, but neither had her parents raised her to be foolhardy, and this was a remote location.
Trenhalle, John A MEANS TO EVIL (2001)
(adjective)
Definition
lacking courage or self-confidence
(literary)
He is a reclusive, timorous creature.
Synonyms
timid
A timid child, she had learnt obedience at an early age.
nervous
I get very nervous when I'm in the house alone at night.
shy
He is painfully shy when it comes to talking to new people.
retiring
I'm still that shy, retiring little girl.
frightened
shrinking
fearful
I had often been very fearful and isolated.
trembling
cowardly
I was too cowardly to complain.
apprehensive
People are still terribly apprehensive about the future.
coy
a coy smile
diffident
The new employee was diffident and reserved in meetings.
bashful
a bashful child
mousy
He remembered her as a small, mousy woman, invariably worried.
pusillanimous (formal)
The authorities are too pusillanimous to deal with this situation.
faint-hearted
The voters may be ready to punish the politicians who devised a faint-hearted solidarity pact.
irresolute
afraid
She did not seem at all afraid.
He's afraid to sleep in his own bedroom.
Opposites
confident
,
daring
,
bold
,
assured
,
courageous
,
assertive
,
fearless
,
audacious
Seetimid
Nearby words of
timorous
timetable
timeworn
timid
timorous
tin
tincture
tinge
Synonyms of 'timorous'
timorous
Explore 'timorous' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cowardly
I was too cowardly to complain.
Synonyms
faint-hearted,
scared,
spineless,
gutless (informal),
base,
soft,
yellow (informal),
weak,
chicken (slang),
shrinking,
fearful,
craven,
abject,
dastardly (old-fashioned),
boneless,
timorous (literary),
weak-kneed (informal),
pusillanimous,
chickenshit (US, slang),
recreant (archaic),
caitiff (archaic),
chicken-hearted,
lily-livered (old-fashioned),
white-livered,
sookie (New Zealand)
in the sense of coy
Definition
affectedly shy and modest
a coy smile
Synonyms
modest,
retiring,
shy,
shrinking,
arch,
timid,
self-effacing,
demure,
flirtatious,
bashful,
prudish,
aw-shucks,
skittish,
coquettish,
kittenish,
overmodest
in the sense of diffident
Definition
lacking self-confidence
The new employee was diffident and reserved in meetings.
Synonyms
shy,
reserved,
withdrawn,
reluctant,
modest,
shrinking,
doubtful,
backward,
unsure,
insecure,
constrained,
timid,
self-conscious,
hesitant,
meek,
unassuming,
unobtrusive,
self-effacing,
sheepish,
aw-shucks,
bashful,
timorous (literary),
unassertive
in the sense of faint-hearted
Definition
lacking courage and confidence
The voters may be ready to punish the politicians who devised a faint-hearted solidarity pact.
Synonyms
timid,
weak,
cowardly,
diffident,
spineless,
boneless,
timorous (literary),
irresolute,
half-arsed (British, slang),
chickenshit (US, slang),
half-assed (US, Canadian, slang),
half-hearted,
yellow (informal)
in the sense of fearful
Definition
afraid and full of fear
I had often been very fearful and isolated.
Synonyms
timid,
afraid,
frightened,
scared,
alarmed,
wired (slang),
nervous,
anxious,
shrinking,
tense,
intimidated,
uneasy,
hesitant,
apprehensive,
jittery (informal),
panicky,
nervy (British, informal),
diffident,
jumpy,
timorous (literary),
pusillanimous (formal),
faint-hearted
in the sense of mousy
Definition
shy or ineffectual
He remembered her as a small, mousy woman, invariably worried.
Synonyms
shy,
quiet,
timid,
ineffectual,
self-effacing,
diffident,
timorous (literary),
unassertive
in the sense of nervous
Definition
apprehensive or worried
I get very nervous when I'm in the house alone at night.
Synonyms
apprehensive,
anxious,
uneasy,
edgy,
worried,
wired (slang),
tense,
fearful,
shaky,
hysterical,
agitated,
ruffled,
timid,
hyper (informal),
jittery (informal),
uptight (informal),
flustered,
on edge,
excitable,
nervy (British, informal),
jumpy,
twitchy (informal),
fidgety,
timorous (literary),
highly strung,
antsy (informal),
toey (Australian, slang),
hesitant,
adrenalized
in the sense of pusillanimous
Definition
timid and cowardly
The authorities are too pusillanimous to deal with this situation.
Synonyms
cowardly,
timid,
spineless,
craven,
yellow (informal),
weak,
fearful,
feeble,
abject,
gutless (informal),
timorous,
faint-hearted,
recreant (archaic),
chicken-hearted,
lily-livered (old-fashioned)
in the sense of retiring
Definition
very shy
I'm still that shy, retiring little girl.
Synonyms
shy,
reserved,
quiet,
modest,
shrinking,
humble,
timid,
coy,
meek,
reclusive,
reticent,
unassuming,
self-effacing,
demure,
diffident,
bashful,
aw-shucks,
timorous (literary),
unassertive
in the sense of shy
Definition
not at ease in the company of others
He is painfully shy when it comes to talking to new people.