skittish

adjective skit·tish \ ˈski-tish \

Definition of skittish

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

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skittishly

adverb

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skittishness

noun

See skittish defined for English-language learners

See skittish defined for kids

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 of skittish from the Web

Thousands of army, police and paramilitary units have been deployed and Indians are skittish about violence spreading to the capital, Delhi.

— tara john, Time, "What to Know About India's 'Guru of Bling' Whose Rape Conviction Sparked Riots," 25 Aug. 2017
Everyone agrees that the bugios are unusually skittish.

— sam kean, Science | AAAS, "When will yellow fever strike Brazil again? Monkeys and mosquitoes hold clues," 17 Aug. 2017
But, if your daughter or son is a little skittish, give them some assistance.

— paul sassone, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Back to school – fun for most, but not all kids," 16 Aug. 2017
Moderates were always skittish about the drastic Medicaid cuts opposed by many of their governors.

— author: sean sullivan, robert costa, kelsey snell, Alaska Dispatch News, "‘It’s an insane process’: How the health-care bill failed," 19 July 2017
Moderates were always skittish about the drastic Medicaid cuts opposed by many of their governors.

— author: sean sullivan, robert costa, kelsey snell, Alaska Dispatch News, "‘It’s an insane process’: How the health-care bill failed," 19 July 2017
Simply raising the threat of failure makes already-skittish insurers more nervous, and could lead them to stop selling coverage in some areas.

— tom murphy, The Seattle Times, "Q&A: How Trump could help sink Obama health law," 19 July 2017
Moderates were always skittish about the drastic Medicaid cuts opposed by many of their governors.

— author: sean sullivan, robert costa, kelsey snell, Alaska Dispatch News, "‘It’s an insane process’: How the health-care bill failed," 19 July 2017
Moderates were always skittish about the drastic Medicaid cuts opposed by many of their governors.

— chicagotribune.com, "‘It’s an insane process’: How Trump and Republicans failed on their health care bill," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'skittish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of skittish

Middle English, from skit- (probably from Old Norse skyt-) + -ish

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

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skittish Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

imperturbable, nerveless, unexcitable, unflappable, unshakable

Related Words

hot-blooded, mercurial, temperamental, unstable, volatile, volcanic; anxious, edgy, flibbertigibbety, nervy, tense, uptight; emotional, emotionalistic, hypersensitive, intense, sensitive, soulful; dramatic, histrionic, melodramatic; irascible, irritable, perturbable, prickly, testy, touchy

Near Antonyms

calm, collected, cool, serene, tranquil; easy, easygoing, laid-back, relaxed

SKITTISH Defined for English Language Learners

skittish

adjective

Definition of skittish for English Language Learners

of an animal : easily frightened or excited
: nervous or fearful about doing something
: tending to change often : not dependable or stable

SKITTISH Defined for Kids

skittish

adjective skit·tish \ ˈski-tish \

Definition of skittish for Students

:easily frightened

a skittish horse

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See words that rhyme with skittish Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for skittish Spanish Central: Translation of skittish Nglish: Translation of skittish for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of skittish for Arabic speakers

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SKITTISH Defined for English Language Learners

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