adjective
-
disposed to attempt to avoid notice through shyness or modesty; diffident; timid
-
indicating or characterized by shyness or modesty
Related Words
See shy 1.
Other Word Forms
- bashfully adverb
- bashfulness noun
- overbashful adjective
- overbashfully adverb
- overbashfulness noun
- unbashful adjective
- unbashfully adverb
- unbashfulness noun
Etymology
Origin of bashful
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.
Armstrong, though, has been far from bashful about his ambitions for Coinbase, which he positioned as the American company to bring crypto into the mainstream.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
For “Task,” Jones asked her bashful but patient scene partner to redo one scene, an explosive fight Maeve has with Robbie, quite a few times, eager to get the perfect take.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2025
In bashful tones, he said his main business was government tenders secured with foreign partners in the areas of renewable energy, engineering procurement, construction and power projects.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2025
My point is, you got to own who you are and you don't have to be bashful or ashamed of anything about who you are and what you represent.
From Salon • May 18, 2024
When he heard her tap on the window, he offered up a bashful thanks to the gods.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
