shied

Pulled back suddenly

Shied is the past tense of shy in its verb senses.

A horse shied when it startled and veered suddenly: The mare shied at the snake in the path.

A person shied away from something they avoided or recoiled from: He shied away from commitment.

To shy something is also to throw it with a quick motion: She shied a stone at the fence post.

reluctant

hesitant

Slow to act

disinclined · loath · balked · demurred · held back · hung back · wavered · faltered · paused · hedged

avoidance

dodge

Avoid by quick movement

circumvent · bypass · eschew · avert · deflect · swerve · recoil · withdraw · shrink · retreat

fearful

spooked

Frightened into alertness

nervous · timid · frightened · alarmed · panicked · bolted · reared · bucked · twitchy · jittery

thrown

hurled

Threw with force

pitched · chucked · cast · heaved · launched · projected · catapulted · slung · threw · pelted

reserved

reticent

Disinclined to speak freely

  • withdrawnEmotionally distant, disengaged
  • bashfulUncomfortably self-conscious
  • timidLacking courage or confidence

introverted · hesitant · demure · modest · unassertive · inhibited · guarded · retiring · diffident · self-conscious

Opposites
approach/avoidance behavior

shiedapproached

Moved toward something

advanced · closed in · charged · confronted · lunged

boldness/timidity

shiedcharged

Formally accused of crime

confronted · faced · rushed · braved · plunged

acceptance/rejection of challenge

shiedembraced

Held someone warmly

welcomed · tackled · engaged · took on · accepted

Phrases
Family

shies, shiest

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G