diffidence

noun
UK: /ˈdɪfɪdəns/
US: /ˈdɪfɪdəns/

  1. The quality of being shy and not confident of your abilities.

    1. Her diffidence was clear she spoke softly.
    2. Despite her talent, her diffidence held her back from the opportunities.

  2. Lack of confidence; shyness.

    1. He showed diffidence before giving the speech.
    2. His diffidence was a barrier to assert his ideas in the meeting effectively.

Synonyms

modesty

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "diffidence" in English means: The quality of being shy and not confident of your abilities., Lack of confidence; shyness..

The phonetic transcription of "diffidence" is /ˈdɪfɪdəns/ in British English and /ˈdɪfɪdəns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "diffidence": modesty.

Example usage of "diffidence": "Her diffidence was clear she spoke softly.". More examples on the page.