sheepish
- adjective
- /ˈʃiːpɪʃ/
- While Mary stood admiring her new house, Flora came walking up the sidewalk, a sheepish expression on her face.
- feel sheepish
BU honestly, to me, it sounds a little sheepish.
- BU honestly, to me, it sounds a little sheepish.
- I had friends like that and I felt kind of sheepish about that.
- OK skip to two days later I get a phone call from Brian who sounds very sheepish.
- But I get so shy saying that because I, I'm very sheepish at the fact that I didn't see that.
- What you sheepish, you sheepish looking human being?
- I love that this Father Christmas looks sheepish or asleep.
- I mean, the only guilt that I will say is like they're really sheepish about like putting the Oh, well, I won't, I won't spoil spoil, but but it's an amazing film.
Examples
-
"Everybody Googles everybody," he said with a sheepish smile, and suddenly we shared a secret.
Blog text (21) -
Tom felt sheepish and ran off quickly, his tummy slung low to the ground.
Fiction book (1998) -
I love that this Father Christmas looks sheepish or asleep.
-
My father parked the car and came up to me with a sheepish look on his face.
Fiction book (1993) -
When he went downstairs, he felt sheepish, half expecting her to know what he had been up to.
Fiction book (1995) -
Some of the men began to venture back to the boats, sheepish expressions on their faces.
Fiction book (1994) -
"Come in, come in!" I blow a kiss to Carlos, who looks a little sheepish in the kitchen doorway.
Fiction book (1992) -
In an uncharacteristically halting, almost sheepish manner, Leo explains to Tom that he plans to propose to her.
Academic text (2001) -
The first time Vladimir visited Phoebe at work, he'd skulked into her video house, sheepish as a corporate spy.
Fiction book (2000) -
He gave a sheepish smile after realizing he had forgotten his friend's birthday.
Synonyms
Feeling embarrassed and guilty about something you did or failed to do
Nervous and likely to avoid people or new situations
Feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable in social situations
Feeling awkward, shy, or ashamed because of something you did
Feeling nervous because you think others are watching or judging you
Shy and afraid to do new or risky things
Shy and easily embarrassed, avoiding attention
Feeling embarrassed and awkward after making a mistake or being corrected
Feeling nervous and lacking confidence in new situations
Feeling shy and unsure about what to do
Feeling or showing shame and embarrassment
Feeling unsure about yourself or your abilities
Having red cheeks easily when you feel embarrassed or shy
Feeling nervous and afraid to do something new
Antonyms
How Embarrassed
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Sheepish comes from sheep plus the ending -ish, where -ish means 'like'. Think of someone acting 'like a sheep' — quiet, shy, and a little embarrassed — so sheepish means feeling shy or slightly ashamed.