skittish

adjective

skit·​tish ˈski-tish How to pronounce skittish (audio)
1
a
: lively or frisky in action : capricious
2
: easily frightened : restive
a skittish horse
3
a
b
: marked by extreme caution : wary
skittish investors
skittishly adverb
skittishness noun

Examples of skittish in a Sentence

We've been skittish about taking on such a large mortgage. the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even before the spate of executive orders, firms were skittish about finding themselves at odds with the new Administration. Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2025 According to a post from the Green Lake Police Department, after weighing their options, an officer flew a drone in windy conditions and used it to steer the skittish, exhausted animals toward the shore. Rhiannon Saegert, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2025 Nvidia made a compelling case as to why efficiencies that have made the market skittish in recent weeks should drive higher demand over time. Michael Bloom, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025 Stubbornly high mortgage rates, which are still hovering around the 7 percent mark and are expected to remain above 6 percent through 2025 and 2026, are making buyers skittish about purchasing properties—forcing sellers to slash prices in an attempt to convince them to close the deal. David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skittish

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from skit- (probably from Old Norse skyt-) + -ish

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of skittish was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skittish. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

skittish

adjective
skit·​tish ˈskit-ish How to pronounce skittish (audio)
1
: lively or frisky in action
2
: easily frightened : restive
a skittish horse
3
skittishly adverb
skittishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on skittish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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