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- Dictionarydif·fi·dent/ˈdifəd(ə)nt/
adjective
- 1. modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence: "a diffident youth"
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The meaning of DIFFIDENT is hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence. How to use diffident in a sentence. What is an antonym of diffident? Synonym Discussion of Diffident.
shy and not confident of your abilities: a diffident manner. diffident about You shouldn't be so diffident about your achievements - you've done really well! SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Shy and modest. aw shucks. backward. bashfully. bashfulness. inadequacy. inadequate. indoorsiness. indoorsy. inhibited. mousy. reticently. retiring
Diffident definition: lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy. . See examples of DIFFIDENT used in a sentence.
shy and not confident of your abilities: a diffident manner. diffident about You shouldn't be so diffident about your achievements - you've done really well! SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Shy and modest. aw shucks. backward. bashfully. bashfulness. inadequacy. inadequate. indoorsiness. indoorsy. inhibited. mousy. reticently. retiring
The adjective diffident describes someone who is shy and lacking in self-confidence. If you are shy and have a diffident manner, you should probably not choose one of these professions: substitute teacher, stand-up comic, or lion-tamer.
Definition of diffident adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
adj. Lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid: He was too diffident to express his opinion. [Middle English, from Latin diffīdēns, diffīdent-, present participle of diffīdere, to mistrust : dis-, dis- + fīdere, to trust; see bheidh- in Indo-European roots .] dif′fi·dent·ly adv.
Someone who is diffident is rather shy and does not enjoy talking about themselves or being noticed by other people.
What does the word diffident mean? There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the word diffident. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. See meaning & use. How common is the word diffident? About 0.4 occurrences per million words in modern written English. See frequency. How is the word diffident pronounced?
Definition of diffident – Learner’s Dictionary. diffident. adjective. uk. Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio. / ˈdɪfɪd ə nt / us. Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio. shy and without any confidence: a diffident young man. Want to learn more? Improve your vocabulary with English Vocabulary in Use from Cambridge.
