Words / C2

DIF-id-uh-nt/ˈdɪfɪdənt/

Diffident means lacking confidence about asserting yourself: too diffident to ask, a diffident smile. Shy is broader; timid is more fearful; modest can be a virtue. Diffidence is the noun. Confident is the opposite, not arrogant necessarily.

Meaning

Lacking confidence; shy about asserting yourself.

Examples

• “She was too diffident to ask the first question.”
• “A diffident candidate still had the best answers.”
• “Diffidence kept him from applying for the promotion.”

Good to know

diffident about + -ing / too diffident to. Noun: diffidence. Broader: shy.

Near in meaning

shy

New