painfully shy

This page is about the collocation painfully shy

collocation pattern: adverb + adjective

Meaning

extremely shy, or so shy that other people find it disturbing

For example

  • Paula was painfully shy when she was in high school.

  • The fact that she was so painfully shy embarrassed her parents and annoyed the other kids.

Quick Quiz

Because he was so painfully shy, Billy couldn't

a. help his mother

b. ride his bicycle

c. talk to strangers
a) help his mother b) ride his bicycle c) talk to strangers

Contributor: Matt Errey