timid

adjective

tim·​id ˈti-məd How to pronounce timid (audio)
1
: lacking in courage or self-confidence
a timid person
2
: lacking in boldness or determination
a timid policy
timidity noun
timidly adverb
timidness noun

Examples of timid in a Sentence

She's very timid and shy when meeting strangers. He gave her a timid smile.
Recent Examples on the Web For the more timid souls, this might be a more doable transition than painting your walls red. Vicki Payne, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 But even that 50 seemed only a timid tiptoe into the thermal world beyond the middle- and upper-40s, where readings had mainly resided throughout the hours from just after midnight to well past sunset. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2023 And the period reflects a politically timid nowhere. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 In the video, the timid pup cautiously walked over to her before sniffing her face. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 2 Feb. 2024 At that point, Deacon was a timid kid in a Dodgers jersey. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2024 But questions remain about whether the Justice Department took too long to charge the Jan. 6 conspirators and whether Attorney General Merrick Garland was too timid in his pursuit of Trump. John Fritze, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024 Under the system, which assigns traits to each animal, some years are less popular, like that of the tiger (too fierce), the goat (too timid) or the snake (seen as manipulative and cunning). Lyric Li, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2024 The musician recently welcomed his twins with wife Whitney For someone who is known for the strength of his singing voice, The Voice alum Jon Mullins sounds somewhat timid when talking about the birth of his twin babies. Tricia Despres, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'timid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin timidus, from timēre to fear

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of timid was in 1549

Dictionary Entries Near timid

Cite this Entry

“Timid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/timid. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

timid

adjective
tim·​id ˈtim-əd How to pronounce timid (audio)
: feeling or showing a lack of courage or self-confidence : shy
timidity noun
timidly adverb
timidness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on timid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!