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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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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