bashful
/ˈbaʃfʊl
/ /ˈbaʃf(ə)l/adjective
Reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy: everything you need to know but have been too bashful to ask suddenly bashful, she could think of nothing to say don’t be bashful about telling folk how you feel...
- They hope to draw in more bashful youngsters with modern features including up-to-date chart music and videos as well as animation.
- I noticed a flush on Angie's cheek as Christopher smiled, bashful but reserved.
- The staff are very approachable and we let more bashful people wander around to avoid embarrassment unless they ask us.
Synonyms
shy, reserved, diffident, retiring, self-conscious, coy, demure, reticent, reluctant, shrinking, timid, timorous, meek;
hesitant, apprehensive, nervous, insecure, doubting, wary, unconfident, inhibited, faint-hearted;
embarrassed, shamefaced, sheepish
Derivatives
bashfully
/ /ˈbaʃfʊli / adverb ...- ‘I feel strongly about that stuff,’ he adds almost bashfully.
- But as Bill praised the service at a ceremony outside The Lowry centre, Katie, who was waiting for her turn to speak, pulled faces and smiled bashfully at the audience.
- ‘He called me up and asked me to get involved in his new image and design stuff,’ Devangelis says bashfully.
bashfulness
/ noun ...- The MVP award is a topic players normally shoo away with humility and bashfulness - whether sincere or not.
- By reserve we do not mean bashfulness or timidity.
- Modesty suggests shunning indecent behavior but it also implies bashfulness based on timidity.
Origin
Late 15th century: from obsolete bash 'make or become abashed' (from abash) + -ful.