skittish

adjective

skit·tish | \ ˈski-tish

Definition of skittish

1a : lively or frisky in action : capricious

b : variable, fluctuating

2 : easily frightened : restive a skittish horse

3a : coy, bashful

b : marked by extreme caution : wary skittish investors

Other Words from skittish Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about skittish

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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

Emily Martin, the vice president of education and workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center, which advised on the bill, notes that the Senate was a bit more skittish about member reimbursements and what that process would look like. — Li Zhou, Vox, "Congress’s recently passed sexual harassment bill, explained," 20 Dec. 2018 Still, investors remain skittish about how long the U.S. economy can continue to grow, warning that a flattening yield curve could signal a coming slowdown in the world’s largest economy. — Avantika Chilkoti, WSJ, "European Shares Creep Down Despite Trade Optimism," 13 Dec. 2018 That said, many are likely to remain skittish even if Mr. Trump offers a full-throated endorsement. — New York Times, "Trump Resisting a Growing Wrath for Separating Migrant Families," 18 June 2018 In back-to-back laps with the all-wheel-drive $40,000 Golf R, the GTI was more skittish braking hard before a turn. — Robert Duffer, chicagotribune.com, "Car review: Volkswagen finally gives Golf GTI the tech it deserves," 5 June 2018 But investors are increasingly skittish about companies’ prospects. — Matt Phillips, The Seattle Times, "Tech stocks lead slump that erases November’s gain," 19 Nov. 2018 The skittish birds take flight as the team approaches. — Washington Post, "Bird flu hot spot: Scientists track virus in huge migration," 28 June 2018 But for now, financial companies remain skittish because of conflicting messages coming out of Washington. — Dan Adams, BostonGlobe.com, "Cash-only possible for first pot sales in Mass.," 16 June 2018 The early indication from this week’s $64 billion slate is that those buyers may be turning skittish. — Brian Chappatta, Bloomberg.com, "Lackluster U.S. Bond Auctions Add to Worries of Foreign Pullback," 12 Apr. 2018

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.