1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skittish
With long-term interest rates up sharply, public debt nearing its post–World War II peak, foreign investors becoming more skittish, and politicians showing little appetite for reining in fresh borrowing, the possibility of a once-in-a-century U.S. debt crisis no longer seems far-fetched.
—
Kenneth S. Rogoff, Foreign Affairs, 19 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
Yet, some investors are only getting more skittish as the market continues to run higher.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 13 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
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Kenneth S. Rogoff, Foreign Affairs, 19 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
Yet, some investors are only getting more skittish as the market continues to run higher.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 13 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
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
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Neurons and glial cells are like dance partners in the brain, coordinating moves that shape how signals flow and how excitable neurons become.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
3 Sep. 2025
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Tony has fully bought into the dream, and Skarsgård plays him with excitable, boyish humor, almost as if the whole thing were a game.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In it, Luna is seen gently approaching a very timid Ronnie, who is facing away, staring toward the couch.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
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Arguably, Sweeney — who is almost unrecognizable as the timid and brunette Margaret — steals the show.—
Itzel Luna,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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CaSSIS, meanwhile, could provide insights into 3I/ATLAS' volatile activity and its composition.—
Andrew Jones,
Space.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The film also chronicles the ups and downs of Kerr's volatile relationship with Dawn.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Against Świątek, in two nervous moments, one of them on match point, net cords had given her safe harbor.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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The district’s disparate parts would be connected largely by two-lane highways cutting through steep slopes of places such as the Modoc National Forest, where nervous drivers must beware of a lack of guardrails.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Given how strong the waves were that day, on August 26, Rawan was increasingly fearful that the dog might not make it.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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Elite Chinese universities fail to attract applicants China’s historically elite universities face growing pressure from a diverse crop of competitors courting applicants fearful of a brutal labor market.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Fall is a beautiful time to go hiking, but with the colorful foliage comes dropping temperatures, rainy days, and unpredictable weather.—
Anne Taylor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Sep. 2025
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Several party officials argued Kaegi’s valuations were unpredictable and faulted his management of certain tax breaks.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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