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
• nervous

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

Proactive transparency can build trust and is the best insurance against reactive disclosures from skittish employees. 4. —Troy Batterberry, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Lenders, skittish of what Greece’s actual public finances might be, shied away, demanding increasingly higher rates to hold Greek bonds. —Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025

Still, the housing market remains pricey, and many buyers are skittish about their own finances, pointed out Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist for Bright MLS. —Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025

In Lenexa, there will be several small plastic pools on the pool’s concrete deck open to any skittish dogs or senior dogs who want to be a part of the fun but don’t want to get in the big pool. —Debra Skodack, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2025

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

Rhymes for skittish

• british

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