diffident
lacking confidence; shy and hesitant
Word origin: From Latin diffidere, to distrust, from fidere, to trust.
Diffident in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing diffident in a sentence.
Too diffident to volunteer, he waited to be called on.
The diffident new hire rarely volunteered an opinion until directly asked.
Using “diffident” well
Diffident describes a shy, self-doubting manner, pairing with timid and bashful. It should not be confused with indifferent, a look-alike meaning uninterested rather than unconfident.
More GRE words starting with D
to engage in something superficially or as a casual pastime
a raised platform for speakers or honored guests
to waste time or act without urgency
to make something slightly wet, or to make a feeling or reaction less strong
marked with spots or patches of color or light
to intimidate or discourage with fear or doubt
to move slowly or waste time idly
a scarcity or shortage of something
Questions about “diffident”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Definitions in isolation do not stick. Sit a free, full-length GRE mock and meet this vocabulary inside real text completion and sentence equivalence questions, with your score and a worked solution for every answer.