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
• fiddle-footed
• flighty
• fluttery
• high-strung
• hyper
• hyperactive
• hyperexcitable
• hyperkinetic
• jittery
• jumpy
• nervous
• skittery
• spasmodic
• spooky

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

Hollywood backers, including those who previously wrote large checks, are feeling skittish about Biden’s prospects, with some growing increasingly vocal in their calls to remove him from the top of the ticket. —Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2024

But as the negotiations dragged on last year and strike threats loomed, skittish customers took their business elsewhere. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2024

Also along for the ride is a friendly but a little skittish English dude named Eric (Joseph Quinn) who doesn’t really know anyone in New York City and is understandably freaked out about all the vicious aliens that keep leaping down from surrounding buildings and killing people. —Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 27 June 2024

Trump finally took the task seriously and gave answers that may have helped ease the nerves of skittish GOP voters and swayed some undecided independents. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 26 June 2024

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

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