sheepishly

From sheepish +‎ -ly.

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /ˈʃiː.pɪʃ.li/

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sheepishly (comparative more sheepishly, superlative most sheepishly)

1. In a sheepish way; shyly; meekly; bashfully; self-consciously; with embarrassment.
   • 2011 April 9, Marc Lacey, “Spraying to Make Yards Green ... but With Paint, Not Water”, in The New York Times‎^[1], archived from the original on 12 November 2020:

     But Frank Fairbanks, a retired public administrator, had to sheepishly acknowledge that he had grass. “Unfortunately, like many of our central Phoenix neighbors, we have a green lawn which consumes more water than xeriscape,” he told the paper.

   • 2017 January 19, Peter Bradshaw, “T2 Trainspotting review – choose a sequel that doesn't disappoint”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     Renton’s big mistake is sheepishly to offer Sick Boy his stolen share 20 years on: £4,000 in a crumpled brown envelope. “What am I supposed to buy with that?” rages Sick Boy bitterly later. “A time machine?”

• (meekly): abashedly, meekly, self-consciously, shyly, timidly, bashfully