adjective
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disposed to attempt to avoid notice through shyness or modesty; diffident; timid
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indicating or characterized by shyness or modesty
Synonym Usage
See shy 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of bashful
Explanation
Bashful means shy or timid. You might feel bashful when meeting a famous actress, a high-ranking government official, or just someone whom you find really good-looking. Bashful and shy are similar in meaning, but not quite identical. Bashful often describes people who are shy but friendly. In fact, being bashful is sometimes seen as an endearing quality. So, you probably wouldn't use bashful to describe a quiet, reserved coworker with whom you have little contact; shy would be a better fit. However, bashful is a perfect description for your good friend who unfortunately becomes tongue-tied whenever she tries to talk to strangers.
Vocabulary lists containing bashful
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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.
