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Bashfulness vs Reticence - What's the difference?

bashfulness | reticence | Synonyms |

Reticence is a synonym of bashfulness.



As nouns the difference between bashfulness and reticence

is that bashfulness is the quality or property of being bashful; shyness; reserve; timidity while reticence is tight-lippedness, discretion, avoidance of saying too much.

bashfulness

English

Noun

(-)
  • The quality or property of being bashful; shyness; reserve; timidity.
  • {{quote-Fanny Hill, part=3 , I, smiling in his face, took the letter, and immediately catching gently hold of his shirt sleeve, drew him towards me, blushing, and almost trembling; for surely his extreme bashfulness , and utter inexperience, call'd for, at least, all the advances to encourage him}}

    reticence

    English

    Noun

  • tight-lippedness, discretion, avoidance of saying too much
  • a silent and reserved nature
  • Quotations

    * 1890 , Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray : *:Basil's absurd fits of jealousy, his wild devotion, his extravagant panegyrics, his curious reticences , — he understood them all now, and he felt sorry. * 1897 , Bram Stoker, Dracula : *: You must not be angry with him, Art, because his very reticence means that all his brains are working for her good.(attention)

    Synonyms

    * reserve, secrecy, taciturnity * bashfulness, demureness, diffidence, quietness, reservation, shyness, timidity

    Antonyms

    * openness, talkativeness * loquaciousness, ostentation