1
a
: lively or frisky in action : capricious
b
2
: easily frightened : restive
a skittish horse
skittishly
adverb
skittishness
noun
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
But after years of contraction, shrinking pre-sales and skittish buyers, there was a sense at EFM, a cautious, qualified sense, that the worst may be over.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Donors get skittish during times of uncertainty.
—Helmut Paul, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The price reductions come as consumers remain skittish about the economy and as PepsiCo looks to boost its North American sales performance.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
The theory is that these more friendly, less skittish wolves were more scavengers than hunters and were the smaller and less alpha of their packs.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skittish
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Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Donors get skittish during times of uncertainty.
—Helmut Paul, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The price reductions come as consumers remain skittish about the economy and as PepsiCo looks to boost its North American sales performance.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
The theory is that these more friendly, less skittish wolves were more scavengers than hunters and were the smaller and less alpha of their packs.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skittish. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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