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In the nearly seven centuries that demure has been in use, its meaning has only shifted slightly. While it began solely as a descriptive term for people of quiet modesty and sedate reserve—those who don't draw attention to themselves, whether because of a shy nature or determined self-control—it came to be applied also to those whose modesty and reservation is more affectation than sincere expression. While demure sounds French and entered the language at a time when the native tongue of England was borrowing many French words from the Normans, the etymological evidence requires that we exercise restraint: the word's origin remains obscure.
Examples of demure in a Sentence
Jessica Mehalic, Cosmopolitan, August 2001
It looked as though the dress and capelet were one piece. It created a demure look, but if you take off the capelet, it's a seductive strapless dress.
—Elizabeth Hayt, Vogue, December 1999
I made a lot of friends at Les Tourelles with whom I have kept in touch over the years. There was one darling little girl, much younger than the rest of us, who was sweet, demure, and quiet, with beautiful long hair like Alice in Wonderland.
—Anna Russell, I'm Not Making This Up, You Know, 1985
She was wearing a demure gray suit.
the demure charm of the cottage
Malia Griggs, Glamour, 28 Feb. 2024
The Boudoir Gloves, which pay homage to LOUIS XIII’s traditional white glove service, are crafted with demure mesh and feature velvet detailing.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 6 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for demure 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'demure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Demure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demure. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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demure
adjective
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