ˈkit-nish
as in coquettish
affecting shyness or modesty in order to attract masculine interest
she couldn't see the point in being kittenish about it and decided to just ask him out
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kittenish
Seductively kittenish, Gardner lives up to her profane reputation.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2023
Madelyn Cline went full-on Old Hollywood bombshell, kittenish liner, polished lengths, and all.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2023
There was much talk of the kittens, their kittenish ways.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2022
To this day, she’s drawn to the bruise of blue that belies the kittenish blush, the tension between the girl next door and the demimondaine, who are not so far apart, who may even be one.
—Susan Dominus Photographs By Joshua Kissi Styled By Ian Bradley Sasha Weiss Photographs By Collier Schorr Styled By Jay Massacret Megan O’Grady Portrait By Mickalene Thomas and Racquel Chevremont Ligaya Mishan Photographs By Tina Barney, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for kittenish
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2023
Madelyn Cline went full-on Old Hollywood bombshell, kittenish liner, polished lengths, and all.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2023
There was much talk of the kittens, their kittenish ways.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2022
To this day, she’s drawn to the bruise of blue that belies the kittenish blush, the tension between the girl next door and the demimondaine, who are not so far apart, who may even be one.
—Susan Dominus Photographs By Joshua Kissi Styled By Ian Bradley Sasha Weiss Photographs By Collier Schorr Styled By Jay Massacret Megan O’Grady Portrait By Mickalene Thomas and Racquel Chevremont Ligaya Mishan Photographs By Tina Barney, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for kittenish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kittenish
Adjective
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These delicate velvet bows are slightly understated; pin them to the tree in lieu of ornaments for a charming coquettish vibe or have the two join forces for maximum drama.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
21 Oct. 2025
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Nab this charming bag, which comes in all sorts of coquettish florals and prints that flawlessly fit the aesthetic.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Amazon is coy about the internals of all its Kindle devices and doesn’t release the name of the processor or the amount of RAM in the Colorsoft Signature Edition.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Nov. 2025
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The cover is a coy reference to the R&B star’s disenchantment with traditional romantic relationships and prioritization of financial and material gain in her dealings with men, an accusation levied upon Anna Nicole Smith regarding her own love life.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kittenish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kittenish. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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