shy away

verb

to draw back in fear, cringe, back down

“O. H. Krill, A Situation Report on Our Acquisition of Advanced Technology and Interaction with Alien Cultures They may shy away if witnesses or law officers try to approach.”

Similar
blenchflinch
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Meanings

verbshy away (third-person singular simple present shies away, present participle shying away, simple past and past participle shied away)

present singular third person shies away · participle present shying away · participle past shied away · past shied away

  1. to draw back in fear, cringe, back down

    O. H. Krill, A Situation Report on Our Acquisition of Advanced Technology and Interaction with Alien Cultures They may shy away if witnesses or law officers try to approach.

    Synonyms: blench, flinch

Synonyms & antonyms

verbto draw back in fear, cringe, back down

Similar
blenchflinch
Also see
shy

Origin

shy + away.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish paeta, vetäytyä
  • paetato draw back, cringe
  • vetäytyäto draw back, cringe
Polish wzdrygać się, wzdrygnąć się
  • wzdrygać sięto draw back, cringe
  • wzdrygnąć sięto draw back, cringe
Cite this entry
APA

shy away. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shy%20away

MLA

“shy away.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shy%20away. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shy away,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shy%20away.

Source: shy away on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.