Meaning & use
shyly
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Meanings
adverb
In a way that shows you are nervous or uncomfortable around other people.
Grammar: Modifies a verb or whole clause; it usually comes after the verb or after its object: he spoke shyly, she looked at me shyly.
Patterns
- speak/smile/laugh shyly
- look at someone shyly
- shyly admit/ask something
He smiled shyly and looked down at his shoes.
She shyly asked the teacher for extra help after class.
The new boy stood shyly by the door until someone invited him in.
adverb
In a way that is quiet and not intended to attract attention.
Grammar: Used with verbs of doing or showing, often before the verb in more formal writing: the company shyly announced the change.
Patterns
- shyly avoid something
- shyly mention something
- shyly step forward
The report shyly mentions the problem but never explains it.
He shyly avoided the camera whenever the photographers came near.
Word forms
| comparative | more shyly |
|---|---|
| superlative | most shyly |
Common combinations
- smile shyly
- She smiled shyly when the whole class clapped for her.
- look away shyly
- He looked away shyly as soon as our eyes met.
- speak shyly
- The child spoke shyly, almost in a whisper.
- shyly admit
- She shyly admitted that she had never been on a plane.
- glance shyly at someone
- He glanced shyly at her across the table.
Synonyms and how they differ
- timidly
- Timidly suggests fear or a lack of courage, which is stronger than the simple awkwardness of shyly.
- bashfully
- Bashfully stresses embarrassment and blushing, while shyly is more general about being uncomfortable with people.
- nervously
- Nervously is about worry or tension, not necessarily about being uncomfortable around people.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: shyly or shy? shyly or slyly?
shyly vs shy
Shy is the adjective (a shy person); shyly is the adverb that describes how something is done (he spoke shyly).
shyly vs slyly
Slyly means in a clever, secret, slightly dishonest way — very different from the innocent awkwardness of shyly.
Practice
Which sentence uses shyly correctly?
Choose one answer.
Shyly is an adverb, so it describes how he answered — sentence B is correct. An and C use it where an adjective (shy) is needed after 'is' or 'are', and D uses an adverb where the adjective 'shy' should modify the noun 'smile'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shyly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.