shier

¹ American

[shahy-er] / ˈʃaɪ ər /

adjective

a comparative of shy.

shier ² American

[shahy-er] / ˈʃaɪ ər /

Or shyer

noun

a horse having a tendency to shy.

shier ¹ British

/ ˈʃaɪə /

adjective

a comparative of shy 1

"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

shier ² British

/ ˈʃaɪə /

noun

a horse that shies habitually

"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 shier

First recorded in 1820–30; shy ¹ + -er ¹

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.

See Examples For:

shier

“Mabel 2 is much shier and has more wildness in her,” so she was used in the nervous bird scenes early on.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025

“I just loved it. It was a natural fit. I think it’s good for any child, to be honest, for confidence. I was on the shier side.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2025

Toula worked in my shier stage of life.

From Time Magazine Archive

They were much shier than the hartebeest and zebra, and upon seeing our approach would be the first to run away.

From In Africa Hunting Adventures in the Big Game Country by John T. McCutcheon

He was really a fine shier, and his dribbling powers beyond dispute.

From Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches by David Drummond Bone

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