as in kittenish
affecting shyness or modesty in order to attract masculine interest
an 18th-century painting of a coquettish maiden dallying with a young moonstruck gallant
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coquettish
Adjective
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Madelyn Cline went full-on Old Hollywood bombshell, kittenish liner, polished lengths, and all.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2023 -
With a basis of flawless skin—smoothing and hydration offered via Kylie Skin Face Moisturizer and Eye Cream—Phillips pulled a thick wing of black liner along Jenner's lids, a diminutive wing beneath the lower lashline providing a kittenish complement.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
13 Sep. 2021
Adjective
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Kershaw has been coy about whether or not this will be his final season.—
Dan Freedman,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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The costars are coy about the finality of their deaths but are willing to indulge the hope that the Roses smell the gas and escape.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Downs joins the My Life With the Walter Boys cast as Maria, a flirtatious new face who cozies up to Alex.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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Consider the cultural tectonics involved in bringing the extended Kardashian empire into contact with Nelly Ghaffar, from Season 15, a flirtatious palliative-care assistant from Slovakia by way of Dorset.—
Ruby Tandoh,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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One that’s been on my radar lately is trad wife thrillers, especially as social media feeds are filled with demure baking videos, homeschooling tips and picturesque domestic life.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
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The new breed of cocktail bars were demure, sit-down only affairs, while EO was packed like a nightclub; the new breed of bartender was bookish and slight, more likely to offer the history of gin than the score of a game, while EO bartenders were essentially throwing the party every single night.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
9 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Coquettish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coquettish. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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