What does bashful mean?
Word: Bashful
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Bashful means shy and easily embarrassed, especially when meeting new people or being noticed by others.
Synonyms: shy, timid, coy
Antonyms: confident, outgoing
How do you spell bashful?
Syllables: bash - ful
Tricky part: The ending is the suffix ful, and it has only one l. Many students add a second l because they think of the word full.
Watch out for: bashfull, basful, bashfal
Memory tip: A bashful child is full of shyness, yet the word keeps only one l of full, just as careful and hopeful do.
Bashful in a sentence
Example 1: Meera was bashful on her first day at the new school and spoke only when the teacher asked her a question.
Example 2: My little cousin gave a bashful smile and hid behind the curtain when the guests clapped for him.
Example 3: He felt bashful about singing on stage, but his friends cheered him on.
Fun Fact
Bashful is the name of one of the seven dwarfs in the 1937 Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He blushes and hides his face whenever someone looks at him.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word: bashful
a) sheepish
b) reserved
c) quiet
d) bold
Show answer
d) bold. A bashful person holds back, while a bold person steps forward without fear.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
basshful
a) f
b) a
c) s
d) h
Show answer
c) s. The word begins with bash, which has just one s.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) nervious
b) jelous
c) embarrased
d) bashful
Show answer
d) bashful. Embarrassed needs a double s as well as a double r, nervous has no i, and jealous keeps the ea of its first part.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which child is behaving in a bashful way?
a) Oscar, who blushes and looks down when praised
b) Kabir, who argues with the umpire after a decision
c) Lucy, who calls out answers before anyone else
d) Clara, who chats easily with new classmates
Show answer
a) Oscar, who blushes and looks down when praised
2. If a puppy is bashful around visitors, it will most likely ____.
a) hide under the table
b) beg them for food
c) run to greet them
d) growl at them
Show answer
a) hide under the table
