shied away
Avoided with hesitation
To shy away is to draw back from something uncomfortable, threatening, or unpleasant—literally or figuratively.
A horse shies away from a snake; a person shies away from confrontation or commitment.
Shied away is the past tense: She shied away from the question.
He never shied away from a fight.
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
- dodgeAvoid by quick movement
- withdrewPulled out or back
- retracedTraveled a route again
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
recoil · flinch · shrank · hesitation · thought twice · balk · evasion · ducked out · swerve · backpedal · cowed · reluctance · held back · flee · wariness · timidity · caution · backed off
shied awayapproached
Moved toward something
went after · embraced · confronted · advanced · welcomed
shied awaytackled
Engaged with forcefully
took on · braved · dared · confronted · jumped at
shied awayleaned into
Committed to wholeheartedly
got involved · participated · jumped in · embraced · accepted
shy, shied, shies, shying, shyly, shyness, shyer, shyest, away