as in fearful
easily frightened
a timid rabbit hopped cautiously out of the hedge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of timid
Although timid at first, Sarah has now let her personality shine.
—
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
In Squid Game, Lee plays Min-su (Player 125), a quiet and timid contestant who gets pulled into the chaos after falling for a housing scam.
—EW.com, 4 July 2025
Protagonist Gene | 2025 | United States | Kyle Leland Cullerton | A timid woman is medically diagnosed as a Supporting Character and must undergo a radical procedure in order to attain Main Character energy.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
Otherwise, they are destined to be remembered as useless and timid wimps as the U.S. was slouching toward a dictatorship.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
In Squid Game, Lee plays Min-su (Player 125), a quiet and timid contestant who gets pulled into the chaos after falling for a housing scam.
—EW.com, 4 July 2025
Protagonist Gene | 2025 | United States | Kyle Leland Cullerton | A timid woman is medically diagnosed as a Supporting Character and must undergo a radical procedure in order to attain Main Character energy.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
Otherwise, they are destined to be remembered as useless and timid wimps as the U.S. was slouching toward a dictatorship.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for timid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for timid
Adjective
-
Raids on California farms in June already left crops unharvested and farm operators fearful of more crackdowns to come.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
After raids on California farms in June, some crops have been left unharvested, with farm operators fearful of more crackdowns to come.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
The unembellished style is well suited for Lake Orta, the quietly beautiful but shy little sister of northern Italy’s more glamorous resort towns.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
And that group never has been shy in expressing its confidence.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
The scary thing about Jefferson's injury is that he was also kept out of multiple games in 2023 due to a hamstring injury.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
-
Recognizing the attraction people have to scary films, the band hit on the novel idea to translate the morbid thrill of Grand Guignol to rock ‘n roll.—
Jim Farber,
Billboard,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
The great danger of that moment was that a political backlash — abetted by a furious media and timorous politicians — would lead to a restoration of the policy of Roe.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 June 2025
-
Hundreds of timorous Timothée Chalamet lookalikes congregated in Washington Square Park.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Although Indiana has not experienced an immigration raid at this scale, community leaders shared that many in migrant communities are afraid that they may potentially be picked up off the street and deported, whether rightfully or not.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
23 July 2025
-
If getting this set up on your own sounds daunting, don’t be afraid to ask for help, McCoy says.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
There’s people that are getting into trouble because the powers that be are scared, too.—
Mario Koran,
jsonline.com,
12 July 2025
-
Most notable in the repeat of Man of Steel elements and themes, there’s the Kryptonian message threatening earth, which makes the public scared, so Superman turns himself in to government authorities.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
This is why babies and toddlers with a shock of blond hair can end up a mousy brown color in adulthood.—
RJ Mackenzie,
Popular Science,
20 Mar. 2025
-
For evidence, just look at her recent transformation from mousy brunette to bombshell blonde.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
13 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Timid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/timid. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share