See the Dictionary Definition 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shies
Verb
-
First of all, the touching, which Margo recoils from, was unnecessary.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026 -
Exhaling occurs when the diaphragm relaxes and the chest recoils.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
DiVincenzo never flinches at adversity.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Lubezki’s camera gets close to the action and never flinches, which underscores Iñarritu’s commitment to excessive mayhem at every turn.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The burger contains two one-pound patties, 10 pieces of bacon, two layers of mushrooms (Beard winces at the thought of mushrooms), two layers of blue cheese crumbles and Swiss cheese, mayonnaise, tomato and lettuce.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Bryan winces after weighing in at 597 lbs.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Exercise also increases levels of BDNF, a growth factor that helps maintain the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for forming new and long-term memories, and one that often shrinks in dementia, said Ashwini Nadkarni, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
If Republicans’ majority shrinks — or Democrats win control of the Senate in November — Republicans would have a much harder time confirming a conservative justice.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
20 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Shies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shies. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
