playful

adjective

play·​ful ˈplā-fəl How to pronounce playful (audio)
1
: full of play : frolicsome, sportive
a playful kitten
2
playfully adverb
playfulness noun

Examples of playful in a Sentence

She's an old dog, but she's still very playful. He had a playful expression on his face. a playful tone of voice You're certainly in a playful mood! She gave him a light playful slap on the knee.
Recent Examples on the Web In the video — which has over 3 million views and 140,000 likes on the app — Pete made playful remarks about his luxurious plane placement. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 The slight high-low hem adds a playful touch to a maxi that’s still appropriate for so many occasions, including weddings, lunch with friends, or even a school meeting. Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024 Maximalist home design basics Klemm, who got her start in fashion and then moved to real estate and interior design, describes her style as modern maximalism with a touch of glam — bold colors, playful shapes, lots of texture and shine. The Indianapolis Star, 21 Mar. 2024 Even a deepening bond with Emma — one that elicits details of his scarred past, and playful teasing from her kids — is approached cautiously, with Baker and Wanganeen serving up a master class in synched underplaying. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Lego Cat Island Adventure – a playful game all about meeting and nurturing your relationship with a friendly cat on an island and spending time together. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024 The book is much more than a formulaic, playful rom-com despite the marketing and the fairy tale font on the book cover. Seth Combs, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2024 Image Much of their furniture is similarly playful. Travis Diehl Dean Kaufman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 10 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'playful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of playful was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near playful

Cite this Entry

“Playful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playful. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

playful

adjective
play·​ful ˈplā-fəl How to pronounce playful (audio)
1
: full of play : fond of playing
a playful kitten
2
: humorous
a playful tone of voice
playfully adverb
playfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on playful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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