coquettish

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
  • 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
  • Where other editors would remain strategically coy.
    Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • However, the cast has stayed coy about any specifics of the film.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • The network includes federal agent Brian Higgins, who exchanged flirtatious text messages with Read, leading the defense to question if that led to a fatal confrontation.
    Michael Casey, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
  • Jane told Diddy’s defense lawyer there was flirtatious banter between her and the rapper.
    Lauryn Overhultz , Maria Paronich , Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • One of the outfits, however, saw Madonna stepping out of her edgy comfort zone and into something more demure.
    Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 18 June 2025
  • At the same time, a more demure set of scientists was quietly laying the foundation for the renovation of social Darwinism in mainstream biological thinking.
    Erik Baker, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Coquettish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coquettish. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.

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