skittish

adjective

skit·​tish ˈski-tish 

1

a

: lively or frisky in action : capricious

b

: variable, fluctuating

2

: easily frightened : restive

a skittish horse

3

a

: coy, bashful

b

: marked by extreme caution : wary

skittish investors

skittishly adverb

skittishness noun

Synonyms

• excitable
• nervous

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

Combine that with major studios presumably getting more skittish about greenlighting LGBTQ+ content, and the slate is getting thinner. —Samantha Allen, Them., 2 Sep. 2025

If the situation becomes a little skittish in the final weeks with those spots in jeopardy, the underwhelming results against the Marlins might be cited amongst other issues. —Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Lenders, skittish of what Greece’s actual public finances might be, shied away, demanding increasingly higher rates to hold Greek bonds. —Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025

Still, the housing market remains pricey, and many buyers are skittish about their own finances, pointed out Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist for Bright MLS. —Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025

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

Rhymes for skittish

• british

Kids Definition

skittish

adjective

skit·​tish ˈskit-ish 

1

: lively or frisky in action

2

: easily frightened : restive

a skittish horse

3

: bashful

skittishly adverb

skittishness noun