SHIES Synonyms: 15 Similar and Opposite Words

shies

verb

present tense third-person singular of shy

as in recoils

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for shies

Verb

Something in the liberal heart recoils in the face of righteous ruthlessness.

— David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Looking through scans from his first VIBE story from back in 2012, Rocky laughs at first, then immediately recoils.

— Jeff Ihaza, VIBE.com, 2 June 2026

Definition of recoils

Verb

Warner flinches not about a birthday that is often associated with the beginning of decline.

— Dan Pompei, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Advertisement Throughout the narrative, Johnson never flinches in his portrayal of the wreck, unleashing footage of investigators approaching the car and the victims’ families.

— Jake King-Schreifels, Time, 15 May 2026

Definition of flinches

Verb

LaFleur winces, until learning the Packers were a respectable 16th in core-four performance (as measured by Expected Points Added) last season.

— Mike Sando, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Toxicologist Fernández has stayed in touch with his patient and still winces about how Mark feared reporting the crime to the police could reflect poorly on him professionally.

— Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of winces

Verb

As groundwater shrinks, those like Jan who can afford the upfront cost keep digging deeper; those who can’t rely on expensive tanker water or hand pumps at mosques.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Over the six episodes, alliances shift, egos clash, and pressure builds as the group shrinks.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of shrinks

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“Shies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shies. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shies

verb

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