SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
diffident
adjective
Lacking confidence in one's own abilities or position.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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A useful distinction
Alternatives apply to the displayed meaning. Related wording may differ in tone or grammar and is not always interchangeable.
Lacking confidence in one's own abilities or position
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
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Usage distinction
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RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The diffident family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
diffidencenoun
Lack of confidence that produces hesitation or restraint.
Lack of confidence that produces hesitation or restraint
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
Her diffidence concealed considerable expertise.
He overcame his diffidence long enough to ask the crucial question.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See diffident in use
The diffident apprentice spoke so softly that the foreman leaned closer.
She was diffident in company but decisive at her workbench.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license