timorousness n fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions n fearfulness in venturing into new and unknown places or activities Usage(s) There's clearly an evolutionary advantage to this natural timorousness. Worse, that timorousness is not cured when he succeeds at last. They were a time of social timorousnessand the last great period of local peace. Synonym(s) timidity timidness Antonym(s) boldness