1
as in coquettish
affecting shyness or modesty in order to attract masculine interest
the previously demure maiden began making some surprisingly shocking remarks
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2
as in shy
not comfortable around people
hesitant and demure, she hardly spoke a word at the banquet table
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in meek
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness
wore a very demure outfit to the interview for the job at the church's headquarters
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demure
Fellow Bravo alum Stassi Schroeder also walked in the show, along with other influencers and professional models, in a bikini only slightly more demure than Bethenny’s.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Sofia the First boasts a princess who is not demure, but instead loves adventure and stands up for what’s right.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 20 Aug. 2025
Editors were looking for a tomato candle that had an aroma that was neither too robust nor too demure.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 June 2025
His outfit, an all-black look with a leather bomber, was demure—yet his shoes injected the look with some personality.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for demure
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Sofia the First boasts a princess who is not demure, but instead loves adventure and stands up for what’s right.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 20 Aug. 2025
Editors were looking for a tomato candle that had an aroma that was neither too robust nor too demure.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 June 2025
His outfit, an all-black look with a leather bomber, was demure—yet his shoes injected the look with some personality.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for demure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demure
Adjective
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These delicate velvet bows are slightly understated; pin them to the tree in lieu of ornaments for a charming coquettish vibe or have the two join forces for maximum drama.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
21 Oct. 2025
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Nab this charming bag, which comes in all sorts of coquettish florals and prints that flawlessly fit the aesthetic.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The colt has earned just shy of $4 million and the only horses to beat him since his debut are likely to be the top two choices in the Classic – Sovereignty (Kentucky Derby and Belmont) and Fierceness (Pacific Classic).—
Jay Posner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
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Fletcher has 20 career rushing touchdowns in two-and-a-half seasons at Miami, one shy of tying Clinton Portis for 10th all-time in UM history.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Tessa Thompson stars as the willful heroine, married to a rather meek academic, George Tesman (Tom Bateman), who’s angling for an important university position.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
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Employment growth is meek, but the labor market is holding steady.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Witherspoon plays it a bit more coy.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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But the film plays so coy with its backstory, offering it in dribs and drabs, that its initial emotional tension soon turns vaporous and phony.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Set in Taiwan in 1988, Girl revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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Unfortunately, further discussions were heated, with no resolve, just more withdrawn behavior while the communications continued.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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From humble beginnings of small-scale personal gardens, the company has since evolved to managing large-scale estates.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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In The Furious, when his daughter Rainy is abducted, humble tradesman Wang Wei is thrust into a deadly underworld of corruption and violence.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Seductively kittenish, Gardner lives up to her profane reputation.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2023
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Madelyn Cline went full-on Old Hollywood bombshell, kittenish liner, polished lengths, and all.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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At times, the new mom gets bashful about the attention she’s received since returning to the team.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
3 Oct. 2025
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Livestreaming isn’t the same as actually being there and seeing the fabric flow, the textures, the audience reaction and the bashful designer with their head down, forced onto the runway at the end of each show.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demure. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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