| 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: | 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shrinking, shy, suspicious, timid, timorous, unassertive, unassuming, unassured, unobtrusive, unpoised, unsure, withdrawn |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: | fearful |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | alarmed, apprehensive |
Synonyms: |
aflutter, afraid, aghast, agitated, anxious, chicken, chickenhearted, diffident, discomposed, disquieted, disturbed, fainthearted, frightened, goose-bumpy, have cold feet, hesitant, in a dither, intimidated, jittery, jumpy, lily-livered, mousy, nerveless, nervous, nervy, panicky, perturbed, phobic, pusillanimous, quivery, rabbity, running scared, scared, shaky, sheepish*, shrinking, shy, skittish, solicitous, spineless, tense, timid, timorous, tremulous, uneasy, unmanly, weak-kneed, worried, yellow* |
| Notes: | someone may be fearful; someone or something may be fearsome |
Antonyms: |
bold, brave, courageous, inapprehensive, unafraid, unfearful |
| Main Entry: | frightened |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | very scared |
Synonyms: |
abashed, affrighted, afraid, aghast, alarmed, anxious, butterflies, chicken*, chicken-hearted, cowed, dismayed, fearful, frozen, have cold feet, having kittens, hung up, in a cold sweat, in a panic, in a sweat, jellyfish, jittery, jumpy, lily-livered, mousy, numb, panicky, petrified, pushing the panic button, rabbity, running scared, scared stiff, shaky, shivery, sissy, spooked, startled, terrified, terror-stricken, terrorized, unnerved, uptight, yellow* |
Antonyms: |
calm, comforted, happy |
| Main Entry: | retiring |
| 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 |