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diffident

[dif-i-duhnt] / ˈdɪf ɪ dənt /


Example Sentences

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In “One of Us,” Elizabeth Day’s shrewd novel of political ambition and personal retribution, the unlikely avenger is a diffident British art historian.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 13, 2026

Seberg’s haircut in the original film, a super-short, blond pixie cut, rewrote fashion trends around the world and encapsulated a spirit of youthful, diffident insouciance.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 20, 2025

But the overarching tone, across the board, is oddly diffident.

From Slate Apr. 25, 2025

Conservative leadership contender James Cleverly claims he has been "underestimated" throughout his political career because he has been too "diffident" about his achievements.

From BBC Sep. 13, 2024

Pigeons could be made to look like roosters and peacocks, and dogs made short-haired, long-haired, pied, piebald, bowlegged, hairless, crop-tailed, vicious, mild-mannered, diffident, guarded, belligerent.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee




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