Sheepish

Pronunciation: /ʃiːpɪʃ/

Definitions of sheepish

adjective showing embarrassment or lack of self-confidence

Example Sentences

A1 Sheepish smile appeared on his face when he realized he had made a mistake.

A2 Feeling sheepish, she apologized for arriving late to the meeting.

B1 He gave a sheepish explanation for why he hadn't completed the assignment on time.

B2 After getting caught in a lie, she looked sheepish and avoided eye contact.

C1 Despite his sheepish demeanor, he was able to charm the audience with his wit and charisma.

C2 Sheepish about his lack of experience, he decided to take on a mentor to help him navigate the industry.

Examples of sheepish in a Sentence

formal After making a mistake in the meeting, Sarah looked sheepish as she apologized to her colleagues.

informal When caught red-handed, Tom had a sheepish grin on his face.

slang He had a sheepish look on his face when he got caught sneaking out of the house.

figurative The politician's sheepish response to the scandal only made matters worse.

Grammatical Forms of sheepish

• past tense: sheepished
• plural: sheepish
• comparative: more sheepish
• superlative: most sheepish
• present tense: sheepishes
• future tense: will sheepish
• perfect tense: has sheepished
• continuous tense: is sheepishing
• singular: sheepish
• positive degree: sheepish
• infinitive: to sheepish
• gerund: sheepishing
• participle: sheepished

Origin and Evolution of sheepish

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'sheepish' originated from the Old English word 'sceapisc', which comes from the root word 'sceap' meaning sheep.

Evolution of the word: Originally, 'sheepish' was used to describe someone who resembled a sheep in timidity or foolishness. Over time, the meaning has evolved to convey a sense of embarrassment or shyness.