EN

Synonyms for retiring

  • adjective

Most common

shy timid modest demure past preceding

Synonyms by meaning

Adjective

1. Shy

shy, timid, modest, demure, shrinking, quiet, bashful, reticent, diffident, self-effacing, meek, reserved, unassertive, lowly, coy dated

2. Preceding

past, preceding

Other

outgoing, unassuming, recondite

Antonyms

officious, pushy, assuming

All antonyms of retiring →

Definitions

  1. adj. 1

    introverted, liking privacy and seclusion.

    I don't really know him well, since he's so shy and retiring.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
retiringfalling
unassertiverising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
shy1, coy1
4 letters
past1, meek1
5 letters
quiet2, lowly2, timid2
6 letters
modest2, demure2
7 letters
bashful2
8 letters
reserved2, outgoing3, reticent3
9 letters
preceding3, shrinking2, diffident, recondite3
10 letters
unassuming4
11 letters
unassertive

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (quiet2 = 2 syllables).