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simperingly

simperingly

9.9
In a shy, silly way that shows little confidence
  • adverb
  • /ˈsɪmpərɪŋli/
translation icon : de manera afectada
  • The child stood simperingly in front of the audience, her shy smile making her seem even more endearing.

Examples

  • She in the end, she created what she wanted and he simperingly obeys her.

  • This means no less than responding to music with music, and to art with art, which further means that thinking in art must be united with thinking up music and thinking up art—not in some simperingly encouraged "self-expression" but in disciplined and imaginative response in kind to the art and music at hand, no matter how initially backward the response might be.

    Academic text (2000)
  • She smiled simperingly at the compliment, trying to seem modest and charming.

  • He simperingly agreed with every suggestion she made, hoping to win her favor.

Synonyms

shyly
vssimperingly
15 1.0

Behave in a quiet, nervous way around other people

is similar but carries a self conscious, silly smile and needy tone
timidly
vssimperingly
7 3.2

Move or speak in a shy, nervous way because of low confidence

is likewise nervous but uses an ingratiating smile and self conscious manner
coyly
vssimperingly
4 6.0

In a shy, playful way that tries to get someone's attention

is like that but adds self conscious, unsure behaviour and a silly smile
demurely
vssimperingly
3 6.1

In a quiet, modest way that shows shyness

is less simply modest and more self conscious, playful, and ingratiating
diffidently
vssimperingly
1 7.9

In a shy way that shows little confidence

shares low confidence but is more affected and tries to please with a smile
bashfully
vssimperingly
1 3.5

In a shy, embarrassed way that avoids eye contact

resembles that shyness but adds an affected, silly attempt to charm others
timorously
vssimperingly
  • Formal
1 8.2

To act in a shy and scared way

shares hesitation but is more about coy, self conscious pleasing than fear
affectedly
vssimperingly
8.3

In a false way to seem more important or polite than you feel

is similarly fake but adds a silly, self conscious smile and low confidence
smarmily
vssimperingly
  • Informal
9.3

In a very polite but fake way to get someone to like you

is also pleasing but combines insincerity with shy, silly smiling and nervousness

Antonyms

1.6

In a way that shows you mean what you say

36 2.9

In a way that shows a person is sure and not afraid

How Insincere

leeringly
  • NSFW
8.6
simperingly
9.9
smugly
8 6.0
smilingly
2 2.5

Surface Forms

simperingly positive

Morphology

simperingly = simpering (transparent) = simper + ing + ly

Formed by adding the productive adverbial suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'simpering', yielding an adverb meaning 'in a simpering manner'.

Etymology

Simperingly comes from the verb simper, which means 'to smile in a silly, shy, or trying-to-please way'. A helpful way to remember it is to picture someone giving a small, nervous smile to avoid trouble or to please others, so to act simperingly is to behave with that shy, self-conscious, overly polite smile.