shy

UK: /ˈʃaɪ/ US: /ʃaɪ/ ,(shī)

Inflections of 'shy' (adj):

shyer

adj comparative

shier

adj comparative (Rare)

shyest

adj superlative

shiest

adj superlative (Rare)

Inflections of 'shy' (n): npl: shies

Inflections of 'shy' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

shies

v 3rd person singular

shying

v pres p

shied

v past

shied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

shy¹ /ʃaɪ/   adj., shy•er or shi•er, shy•est or shi•est, v., shied, shy•ing. 
adj. 

1. bashful;
   retiring;
   timid:
   a shy smile.
2. distrustful;
   unwilling to do or face something:
   [be + ~ + of + object] is shy of publicity.
3. not having enough of something;
   lacking:
   [be + ~ + of + object] was shy of funds.

v. 

4. (esp. of a horse) to make a sudden movement back or aside in fear or alarm:
   [no object] to shy away.
5. shy away from, [~ + away + from + object] to draw back;
   hesitate to do:
   They shied away from that deal because they didn't trust the salesman.

shy•ly, adv.: 

He smiled shyly at her.

shy•ness, n. [uncountable]

shy² /ʃaɪ/   v., shied, shy•ing, n., pl. shies. 
v. [~ + object]

1. to throw with a swift, sudden movement:
   shying stones into the water.

n. [countable]

2. a quick, sudden throw.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

shy¹  (shī), adj., shy•er or shi•er, shy•est or shi•est, v., shied, shy•ing, n., pl. shies. 
adj. 

1. bashful;
   retiring.
2. easily frightened away;
   timid.
3. suspicious;
   distrustful:
   I am a bit shy of that sort of person.
4. reluctant;
   wary.
5. deficient:
   shy of funds.
6. scant;
   short of a full amount or number:
   still a few dollars shy of our goal; an inch shy of being six feet.
7. Games (in poker) indebted to the pot.
8. not bearing or breeding freely, as plants or animals.
9. fight shy of, to keep away from;
   avoid:
   She fought shy of making the final decision.

v.i. 

10. (esp. of a horse) to start back or aside, as in fear.
11. to draw back;
    recoil.

n. 

12. a sudden start aside, as in fear.

• bef. 1000; late Middle English schey (adjective, adjectival), early Middle English scheowe, Old English scēoh; cognate with Middle High German schiech; akin to Dutch schuw, German scheu; compare eschew

shy′er, n. 
shy′ly, adv. 
shy′ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. Shy, bashful, diffident imply a manner that shows discomfort or lack of confidence in association with others.
  Shy implies a constitutional shrinking from contact or close association with others, together with a wish to escape notice:
  shy and retiring.
  Bashful suggests timidity about meeting others, and trepidation and awkward behavior when brought into prominence or notice:
  a bashful child.
  Diffident emphasizes self-distrust, fear of censure, failure, etc., and a hesitant, tentative manner as a consequence:
  a diffident approach to a touchy subject.
• 4. heedful, cautious, chary.
• 11. shrink.

Antonyms

• 1. forward.
• 2. trusting.
• 4. careless.
• 11. advance.

shy²  (shī), v., shied, shy•ing, n., pl. shies. 
v.t., v.i. 

1. to throw with a swift, sudden movement:
   to shy a stone.

n. 

2. a quick, sudden throw.
3. Informal Terms
   • a gibe or sneer.
   • a try.

• origin, originally uncertain 1780–90

shy′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. toss, pitch, fling, cast, flip.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shy / ʃaɪ/ adjective (shyer, shyest, shier, shiest)

1. not at ease in the company of others
2. easily frightened; timid
3. (often followed by of) watchful or wary
4. (followed by of) short (of)
5. (in combination) showing reluctance or disinclination: workshy

verb (shies, shying, shied)(intransitive)

1. to move suddenly, as from fear: the horse shied at the snake in the road
2. usually followed by off or away: to draw back; recoil

noun (shies)

1. a sudden movement, as from fear

Etymology: Old English sceoh; related to Old High German sciuhen to frighten away, Dutch schuw shy, Swedish skygg

ˈshyly adverb

ˈshyness noun

shy / ʃaɪ/ verb (shies, shying, shied)

to throw (something) with a sideways motion

noun (shies)

1. a quick throw
2. a gibe
3. an attempt; experiment
4. short for cockshy

Etymology: 18th Century: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German sciuhen to make timid, Middle Dutch schüchteren to chase away

ˈshyer noun