Meaning & use
coy
Reluctant to give details, especially about something sensitive, often in a playful or evasive way.
See it in a sentence
She stayed coy about her plans for the surprise party.
He gave a coy smile instead of answering the reporter's question directly.
A note on using this word
Coy can describe genuine shyness or a flirtatious pretense of shyness, so tone and context determine which meaning applies.
Words with a similar meaning
evasivereticent
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
forthcomingdirect
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