# shy

/ˈʃaɪ/ (US) · /ʃˈaɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shy
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. nervous with people

adjective · CEFR A2

feeling nervous or uncomfortable when you are around other people.

For teachers: disinclined to familiar social approach; reserved or timid in the presence of others.

- The shy boy hid behind his mother when the guests arrived at the house.
- Despite her professional success as a public speaker, she remained remarkably shy in small, informal social gatherings.

### 2. short of an amount

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

having less than a specific amount or being just under a goal.

For teachers: falling short of a specified amount, distance, or goal; often used with a measurement.

- We are still ten dollars shy of the total we need for the tickets.
- The marathon runner finished just a few seconds shy of the world record, despite the challenging weather conditions.

### 3. voters hiding intentions

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describing voters who do not want to tell people who they are voting for.

For teachers: referring to voters who are less likely to reveal their true intentions to pollsters, potentially skewing election predictions.

- Polls were wrong because many shy voters didn't admit who they supported.
- Political analysts often struggle to account for the 'shy voter' factor, which can lead to significant discrepancies between exit polls and final results.

### 4. to avoid or jump back

verb · CEFR B2

to move away from something suddenly because you are afraid or nervous.

For teachers: to start suddenly aside through fright; to recoil or avoid something due to caution or lack of confidence.

- The horse shied at the loud noise and nearly threw the rider off.
- Investors often shy away from emerging markets during periods of global economic instability, preferring the perceived safety of established currencies.

Usage: often used with the preposition 'away' as in 'shy away from'.

### 5. to throw

verb · CEFR C2 · British English · Literary

to throw something with a quick, sudden movement.

For teachers: to fling or toss something with a swift, sideways motion.

- He shied a stone across the surface of the quiet lake.
- The children spent the afternoon shying pebbles at the old tin cans they had lined up along the garden wall.

### 6. a throw

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal

the act of throwing something.

For teachers: a quick throw or toss; an act of flinging.

- Have a shy at the coconut and see if you can win a prize.
- At the village fair, every participant was allowed one shy at the target for a chance to win the grand hamper.

## Examples

- She is very shy and rarely speaks in class.
- The candidate was too shy to engage in the aggressive debates required for a successful political campaign.
- While some interpret his quiet nature as being shy, it is actually a calculated reserve intended to prevent his opponents from predicting his next legislative move.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.