ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsDdiffident
ISEE/SSAThard
diffident
Meaning: modest because of a lack of self-confidence
diffident in a sentence
How diffident is used in real sentences:
Diffident at first, she eventually spoke with conviction.
Her diffident smile suggested she was uneasy.
“The Company's inquiry began with a diffident clerk, who hesitated before challenging calculations copied by his superiors.”
— from the passage The Eastern Turn
Synonyms for diffident
Other words for diffident — shy, timid and reserved — carry the same meaning.
- shy
- timid
- reserved
Antonyms of diffident
Words that mean the opposite of diffident:
- confident
- bold
- assertive
Where it comes from
From Latin diffidere 'to mistrust'
Word parts
- fid — faith, trust
diffident: dif- (apart, lacking) + fid (trust) + -ent (having the quality of)
Memory hook
DIFFIDENT — DIFFI-cult to be conFIDENT.