aw-shucks

American

[aw-shuhks] / ˈɔˈʃʌks /

adjective

Informal.

characterized by a shy, embarrassed, often provincial manner.

aw-shucks British

/ ˌɔːˈʃʌks /

adjective

seeming to be modest, self-deprecating, or shy

don't be fooled by his aw-shucks attitude

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of aw-shucks

First recorded in 1930–35

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.

Although Superman is recognizable all over the world, his aw-shucks demeanor and nearly limitless superpowers have made him a tough character to make relevant to today’s audiences.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2025

And while Walz’s down-home, aw-shucks demeanor has captivated America, it’s also a sharp reminder of how different his finances are from those of the average politician.

From Slate • Aug. 8, 2024

Someone at the start of a promising career in journalism who is so aggressively flattering and greasily evasive, with a snap-on, snakelike, aw-shucks smile, has got to have a scheme up his sleeve.

From New York Times • Feb. 6, 2024

“We should not be fooled by his aw-shucks style,” Fea added in Current, an online journal.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2023

So the governor, beaming, raised his hands again and stared down at his notes on the podium with a look of practiced, aw-shucks humility on his face.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023