timorous
Americanadjective
-
full of fear; fearful.
The noise made them timorous.
-
subject to fear; timid.
-
characterized by or indicating fear.
a timorous whisper.
adjective
-
fearful or timid
-
indicating fear or timidity
Synonym Usage
See cowardly.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of timorous
1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin timōrōsus ( Latin timōr- (stem of timor ) fear + -ōsus -ous )
Explanation
A timorous person is timid or shy, like your timorous friend who likes to hang out with close pals but gets nervous around big groups of new people. The adjective timorous is actually the Latin word for ”fearful.” But timorous is a specific kind of fearfulness — the kind that strikes people before giving a speech, or walking into a crowded place where people are socializing. Also called "shy" or "timid," timorous people often become more comfortable when they see a familiar face in the crowd.
Vocabulary lists containing timorous
Frankenstein
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman?" (1863)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Common Sense," Vocabulary from the pamphlet
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
She became the party’s spine and its sinew, holding together the Democrat’s many warring factions and standing firm at times the more timorous were prepared to back down.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025
Haynesville companies are being more timorous than before because they need to hit their returns on investment, lest they lose hard-won investors.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025
Even amoral or timorous lawyers will hesitate to misbehave if it becomes clear that doing so endangers their livelihood.
From Slate • Mar. 17, 2025
An outwardly gentle soul, but with a spine of steel, Fred was never too timorous to lay bare our view on public affairs, including public corruption and injustices.
From Washington Post • Dec. 10, 2021
Not even birds can pass them by, not even the timorous doves that bear ambrosia to Father Zeus; caught by downdrafts, they die on rockwall smooth as ice.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
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.
