Imagine someone shifting uneasily, eyes cast downward, with a faint, guilty smile after a slip-up; that’s acting sheepishly
Word of the day: SHEEPISHLY
Pronunciaton: uk /ˈʃiː.pɪʃ.li/ us /ˈʃiː.pɪʃ.li/
Meaning
Sheepishly describes an action done in an embarrassed, awkward, shy, or self-conscious way.
Origin
The adverb sheepishly comes from the adjective sheepish.
The word first appeared around the late 12th century in Middle English as ‘shepisshe’, meaning to resemble a sheep in qualities like meekness and docility. By the late 1600s, the adjective had evolved to describe being bashful, awkward, or embarrassed.
Examples from literature
- She sees me notice her checking her watch and grins sheepishly. – Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
- The dealer sheepishly smiled back and didn’t say a word. – If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Synonyms
- Bashfully
- Embarrassed
- Awkwardly
- Self-consciously
- Abashed
Published: 22 Sept 2025, 08:00 am IST
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