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Antonyms for diffident
Grammar : Adj |
Spell : dif-i-duhnt |
Phonetic Transcription : ˈdɪf ɪ dənt |
Definition of diffident
Origin :- mid-15c., from Latin diffidentem (nominative diffidens), present participle of diffidere (see diffidence). Related: Diffidently.
- adj hesitant; unconfident
- The diffident took heart before him, and the presumptuous were checked.
- Extract from : « Heroes of the Telegraph » by J. Munro
- She spoke with diffident slowness, her gaze fastened upon her plate.
- Extract from : « The Market-Place » by Harold Frederic
- The tone of his voice, now soft and diffident, startled Hardy out of his dream.
- Extract from : « Hidden Water » by Dane Coolidge
- Barrington was the most diffident of men; his bashfulness amounted to actual pain.
- Extract from : « Barrington » by Charles James Lever
- Edith, funny and diffident, now rose and addressed the class.
- Extract from : « Molly Brown's Senior Days » by Nell Speed
- But you forget how diffident M. de Bois is, how distrustful of his own merits.
- Extract from : « Fairy Fingers » by Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie
- Denison, in a diffident manner, said that he had not exactly had much.
- Extract from : « Rdan The Devil And Other Stories » by Louis Becke
- It was so faint and diffident a knock, no wonder it passed unheeded.
- Extract from : « The Dop Doctor » by Clotilde Inez Mary Graves
- I shall say nothing of the miseries which embittered the life of the diffident boy.
- Extract from : « Apologia Diffidentis » by W. Compton Leith
- In the matter of avowals the diffident never speak if they can write.
- Extract from : « Apologia Diffidentis » by W. Compton Leith
Synonyms for diffident
- backward
- bashful
- blenching
- chary
- constrained
- coy
- demure
- distrustful
- doubtful
- dubious
- flinching
- humble
- insecure
- meek
- modest
- mousy
- rabbity
- reluctant
- reserved
- retiring
- self-conscious
- self-effacing
- sheepish
- shrinking
- shy
- suspicious
- timid
- timorous
- unassertive
- unassuming
- unassured
- unobtrusive
- unpoised
- unsure
- withdrawn
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019