ZebraWords.com - The Definition of 'Diffident', Synonyms of 'Diffident' & More on 'Diffident'

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)

diffident
    adj 1: showing modest reserve; "she was diffident when offering
           a comment on the professor's lecture"
    2: lacking self-confidence; "stood in the doorway diffident and
       abashed"; "problems that call for bold not timid responses";
       "a very unsure young man" [syn: diffident, shy, timid,
       unsure] [ant: confident]

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Diffident \Dif"fi*dent\, a. [L. diffidens, -entis, p. pr. of
   diffidere; dif- = dis + fidere to trust; akin to fides faith.
   See Faith, and cf. Defy.]
   1. Wanting confidence in others; distrustful. [Archaic]
      [1913 Webster]

            You were always extremely diffident of their
            success.                              --Melmoth.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Wanting confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own
      powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful;
      characterized by modest reserve.
      [1913 Webster]

            The diffident maidens,
            Folding their hands in prayer.        --Longfellow.

   Syn: Distrustful; suspicious; hesitating; doubtful; modest;
        bashful; lowly; reserved.
        [1913 Webster]

Thesaurus Results for diffident:

1. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

bashful, boggling, cautious, cowardly, coy, demure, demurring, deprecative, deprecatory, faltering, fearful, fearing, fearsome, goosy, hesitant, hesitating, in fear, jibbing, jumpy, modest, mousy, nervous, qualmish, rabbity, reluctant, retiring, scary, scrupling, scrupulous, self-deprecating, self-depreciating, self-depreciative, self-distrustful, self-doubting, self-effacing, shaky, shilly-shallying, shivery, shrinking, shy, skittery, skittish, squeamish, startlish, sticking, stickling, straining, tentative, timid, timorous, trembling, tremulous, trepidant, trigger-happy, unassertive, unassured, unselfconfident, unselfreliant

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