timid
/ˈtɪmɪd
/adjective (timider, timidest)
Showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened: I was too timid to ask for what I wanted...
- Yet he is a keen sighted and extraordinary man, gentle I think by nature and at once timid, modest and reticent.
- His answer spilled timid and trembling from his frightened lips, a trickle of stuttering feebleness.
- That said, I really hated this film, and not because it's so dumb, but because it's so timid and gutless.
Synonyms
easily frightened, lacking courage, fearful, apprehensive, afraid, frightened, scared, faint-hearted;
trembling, quaking, cowering, weak-kneed;
shy, diffident, bashful, self-effacing, shrinking, unassuming, unassertive, reserved, retiring, reticent, quiet, timorous, nervous, modest, demure, coy, meek, humble;
cowardly, pusillanimous, lily-livered, pigeon-hearted, spineless, craven
informal wimpish, sissy, yellow, yellow-bellied, chicken, gutless
archaic poor-spirited, recreant
Derivatives
timidness
- However, I think I can get over my timidness for this.
- I want to follow up on that point by looking at the extraordinary timidness that has characterized recent liberal political tactics.
- It brings Edward's emotional timidness to the forefront, as well as evoking the fairy tale nature and fantastic, exaggerated tone of the film.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from Latin timidus, from timere 'to fear'.