to shy

Examples

• All

• Many students shy away from participating in class discussions due to fear of being wrong.

• Why do you shy away from the word?

  I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)

• You know, it's not like you to shy away from a fight.

  Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)

• Very often individuals within a college shy away and avoid committee work at all costs.

  Academic text (2008)

• Leaders should always shy away from asking others to do what they would not.

  Academic text (1999)

• I'm afraid I shy away from reading about such things.

  The Bad Seed (1956)

• A great mystery lies ahead of you, but you must not shy away from the challenge.

  Scary Movie 3 (2003)

• However, lately she seems to shy away from their attempts at conversation.

  Academic text (2011)

• We as human beings shy away from the unknown.

• You don't need to shy away from it.

  Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023)

Synonyms

F

to flinch

vsto shy

71 4.1

Move back quickly because of pain, fear or surprise

is a sudden move or avoidance caused by fear or nervous hesitation

S

to shy away from

vsto shy

41 4.6

Avoid doing something because you feel afraid or unsure

is more likely to be a quick move back or sudden avoidance from fear

C

to cower at

vsto shy

1 7.2

To move back and make your body smaller because you are afraid of something

is usually a quick move away or an avoidance because of nervous fear

S

to skitter away

vsto shy

1 5.8

To move quickly and lightly away, often because something scares you

is a sudden backward move or avoiding action from fear or nervousness

F

to fight shy of

vsto shy

• UK

7.7

To avoid doing something because you do not want to try it

often means a sudden or nervous move backward or an avoidance act

Antonyms

A

to approach

532 2.1

To move closer in space to a person or thing

C

to confront

359 4.4

Face a difficult problem or fear directly and bravely

Idioms

F

few cards shy of a full deck

• Slur

9.9

Not thinking clearly or not very intelligent

O

once bitten, twice shy

• Informal

7.9

Careful about doing something again because of a bad past experience

Phrasal Verbs

S

to shy away from

41 4.6

Avoid doing something because you feel afraid or unsure

F

to fight shy of

• UK

7.7

To avoid doing something because you do not want to try it

Compounds

S

shy person

4 2.5

A person who feels nervous around others and avoids social situations

S

shy bladder

• Specialized

2 8.3

Difficulty peeing when other people are nearby, especially in public bathrooms

W

work-shy

• UK

8.5

Not willing to do a job or make an effort

How Startled

to bolt

69 2.3

to recoil

19 4.9

to shy

31 7.2

to flinch

71 4.1

to step back

101 3.6

Surface Forms

Etymology