1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a skittish housing market had both buyers and sellers on edge
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skittish
Selling infrastructure to the panopticon was not a safe play, and investors were skittish.
—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
The wildlife, of course, is less skittish with fewer people around; plus, animals are raring to go after emerging from their winter slowdowns.
—Tanvi Chheda, AFAR Media, 17 Jan. 2025
Rosie, a feral cat his wife adopted and slowly coaxed into trusting her, was skittish and unfriendly, and rarely interacted with Mr. Escott.
—Kellen Browning, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Like many other retailers, Party City marked down prices in September – on more than 2,000 items by an average of 20% – to attract skittish customers and drive sales.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
The wildlife, of course, is less skittish with fewer people around; plus, animals are raring to go after emerging from their winter slowdowns.
—Tanvi Chheda, AFAR Media, 17 Jan. 2025
Rosie, a feral cat his wife adopted and slowly coaxed into trusting her, was skittish and unfriendly, and rarely interacted with Mr. Escott.
—Kellen Browning, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Like many other retailers, Party City marked down prices in September – on more than 2,000 items by an average of 20% – to attract skittish customers and drive sales.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
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Star is probably the most excitable person in the history of the show.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
27 Feb. 2025
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Something that had been anticipated for a while finally went down Wednesday night, adding to the already excitable atmosphere pulsating throughout Crypto.com Arena.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Cheered on by timid bankers who wouldn't risk a lemon in their sparse baskets.—
Dan Primack,
Axios,
11 Mar. 2025
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To say that does not trivialize the Holocaust, as some timid folk insist.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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His masculinity, though less volatile, is as stunted as Stanley’s.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
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While many are penciling in lower stock values due to higher risks of a recession and elevated inflation due to a rising chance of a trade war, others say the volatile stock market needs some context.—
Medora Lee,
USA TODAY,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Some Trump advisers were nervous the deal might go south before the ceremonial signing, but felt confident by the time Mr. Trump greeted Zelenskyy.—
Jennifer Jacobs,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2025
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Become The Best Operator Of New AI Tools Don’t be nervous about AI.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Einbinder appeared extremely fearful of addressing anything about being Jewish at this moment.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
1 Mar. 2025
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Ratliff is a wealthy Southern business mogul confronted by past shady business dealings and fearful that his secrets will come to light and endanger his family, played by Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sam Nivola, and Sarah Catherine Hook.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Fires are unpredictable, dangerous, and fast-moving, and every second counts.—
Andrew Ansbro,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2025
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And then there’s the appeals process itself, which remains one of the most unpredictable spectacles in the sport.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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