as in timid
easily frightened
sensational news stories that seem designed to needlessly alarm an already timorous public
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Recent Examples of timorous
Diaz is plucky and determined in ways that the more timorous guys can’t quite muster.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Democratic moderates are often portrayed by the left as timorous figures reluctant to take strong stands for fear of political retribution.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 3 Aug. 2022
At the time Russia revealed their new new weapon, U.S. national security thinkers did an obligatory round of timorous handwringing, but, other than that, the U.S. was largely—and strangely—silent.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022
The hospital industry has been timorous about transparency since the first large-scale quality survey was conducted by the American College of Surgeons back in 1919.
—Michael L. Millenson and J. Matthew Austin, STAT, 24 May 2022
See All Example Sentences for timorous
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Democratic moderates are often portrayed by the left as timorous figures reluctant to take strong stands for fear of political retribution.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 3 Aug. 2022
At the time Russia revealed their new new weapon, U.S. national security thinkers did an obligatory round of timorous handwringing, but, other than that, the U.S. was largely—and strangely—silent.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022
The hospital industry has been timorous about transparency since the first large-scale quality survey was conducted by the American College of Surgeons back in 1919.
—Michael L. Millenson and J. Matthew Austin, STAT, 24 May 2022
See All Example Sentences for timorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for timorous
timid
Adjective
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Alexis Bittar has never been shy about shining a light on subjects those with a timid approach would avoid.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
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But the timid reaction also underscored Europe’s bystander role, contrasting with its past approach on that topic.—
Garret Martin,
The Conversation,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Timorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/timorous. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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