adjective

• Reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy.

  ‘don't be bashful about telling folks how you feel’

  More example sentences

  • ‘They hope to draw in more bashful youngsters with modern features including up-to-date chart music and videos as well as animation.’
  • ‘I noticed a flush on Angie's cheek as Christopher smiled, bashful but reserved.’
  • ‘The staff are very approachable and we let more bashful people wander around to avoid embarrassment unless they ask us.’
  • ‘He's not at all bashful about photographing us older folks, either.’
  • ‘Emy, always modest and bashful, had blushed and refused to let him draw her, claiming that it embarrassed her to have him watching her so intently.’
  • ‘‘We do discuss it among ourselves, not just at school,’ Ian, from Cleckheaton, told me in a bashful tone.’
  • ‘He's also not bashful about experimenting with them while recording, which makes for some pretty funny gaffes.’
  • ‘Once there, her life begins, from crawling to walking, through playful child, bashful teenager, lover and mother, into old age.’
  • ‘I told him I thought he looked pretty good considering, but he was bashful and said he thought he looked pretty bad.’
  • ‘The popular children's story is about an affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur who befriends a spider named Charlotte.’
  • ‘Collina's famously piercing gaze uncharacteristically drops away, almost bashful at being reminded of the compliment.’
  • ‘Private lessons are also available for you bashful dancers at $30 per class.’
  • ‘People genuinely do seem bashful about pressing the ‘call flight attendant’ button.’
  • ‘But Mr Desmond is not known for being particularly image-conscious or bashful.’
  • ‘But the bashful hero politely declined before going back to base.’
  • ‘School sports are not for the bashful, and privacy expectations are limited.’
  • ‘Don't be bashful guys, I put the board there for all of us so don't wait for me.’
  • ‘If you go and you're kind of acting bashful and you don't belong, I think people can spot that on you.’
  • ‘Barbara was a very, very gentle person, but she was not bashful about expressing her point of view.’
  • ‘I will always remember the look of bashful happiness on Arthur's face as people in the audience constantly called out his name.’

  Synonyms

  shy, reserved, diffident, retiring, self-conscious, coy, demure, reticent, reluctant, shrinking, timid, timorous, meek

  View synonyms