as in playful
given to good-natured joking or teasing
an elfish comedian who often played lovable drunks and wisecracking sidekicks
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Recent Examples of elfish
Santa’s elves are generous souls, not elfish.
—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Dec. 2025
But showing a recent visitor his awards, Shannon, who at 75 has a shock of snowy hair and an elfish grin, seemed almost embarrassed.
—
John Horgan,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Apr. 2016
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Dec. 2025
But showing a recent visitor his awards, Shannon, who at 75 has a shock of snowy hair and an elfish grin, seemed almost embarrassed.
—
John Horgan,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elfish
playful
Adjective
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The high-quality dress can be worn all summer long, in playful hues like white and green.
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Beaded sandals, in particular, strike a balance between statement-making and approachable, offering the same playful energy as the season’s beaded jewelry and bags without requiring a complete wardrobe overhaul.
Cite this Entry
“Elfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elfish. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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