1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a skittish housing market had both buyers and sellers on edge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of skittish
Despite his skittish nature and love for screaming, Chips has a soft spot for music — especially the Game of Thrones intro, which sends him into a singing frenzy.
—
Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 May 2025
Rising economic anxiety, even among the 5% Evidence from the housing market and beyond suggests that the top 5% of U.S. households are growing skittish.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 27 May 2025
At the same time, progressives are too skittish about enforcing seemingly any criminal law, moderate Democrats don’t want to look like progressives, and Republicans are Republicans.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 7 May 2025
Image Image Isn’t there a risk that a skittish cat will be frightened by a dog and go deeper into hiding?
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 May 2025
Rising economic anxiety, even among the 5% Evidence from the housing market and beyond suggests that the top 5% of U.S. households are growing skittish.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 27 May 2025
At the same time, progressives are too skittish about enforcing seemingly any criminal law, moderate Democrats don’t want to look like progressives, and Republicans are Republicans.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 7 May 2025
Image Image Isn’t there a risk that a skittish cat will be frightened by a dog and go deeper into hiding?
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
-
In 2023 and the first months of 2024, his name cropped up in a lot of excitable articles in the Rio de Janeiro press.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
-
The telling of the entire story of America, after all, calls into question the greatness that Donald Trump pledges to restore, and agitates a base that remains threatened and excitable by our multicultural reality.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Otherwise, they are destined to be remembered as useless and timid wimps as the U.S. was slouching toward a dictatorship.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 June 2025
-
If the cat remains frightened and timid, talk to your vet about medications that might help.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
While the character brandishes a firearm and things eventually come to blows in physical tussles over the course of the volatile evening, Gallo's script never loses grip on the tender undercurrent of intimacy established back in Ponyboi's shower.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
-
Budget Pressure Is Driving Clarity The reflex in volatile markets is often to scale up teams or stack more tools.—
Jeremy Barnett,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
After a decade of mayhem, property destruction, and nervous soldiers firing into a crowd, the rebellion broke into gunfire between British regulars and American militia at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
17 June 2025
-
Around liberal America, these were the questions asked with a nervous laugh at dinner parties, in office small talk, on university campuses.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
The law was blocked by a judge, but Martinez said some workers and companies are still hesitant and fearful of enforcement.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
18 June 2025
-
Fed officials have been reluctant to move, fearful that tariffs Trump implemented this year could cause inflation in the coming months.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Each response is a surprise, tapping into the psychological principle of intermittent reinforcement, famously demonstrated by psychologist B.F. Skinner, where unpredictable rewards significantly amplify behaviors, much like gambling addiction.—
Curt Steinhorst,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Bright lights, unpredictable noises, unfamiliar smells, and the pressure to 'behave' in a certain way can quickly overwhelm a child whose brain processes the world differently.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share