Meaning & use

shies

verb·Everyday

Last updated

moves suddenly away in fear or alarm, or avoids something out of nervousness or reluctance.

See it in a sentence

The horse shies at every loud noise on the road.

He always shies away from public speaking if he can avoid it.

A note on using this word

The third-person singular form of the verb 'to shy', most often paired with 'away from' in modern usage.

Words with a similar meaning

flinchesrecoils

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Words with an opposite meaning

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