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
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Recent Examples of coquettish
These delicate velvet bows are slightly understated; pin them to the tree in lieu of ornaments for a charming coquettish vibe or have the two join forces for maximum drama.
—
Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
Nab this charming bag, which comes in all sorts of coquettish florals and prints that flawlessly fit the aesthetic.
—Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Portman added a pair of black heels with coquettish design elements, including the small bows on the front of the shoe.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
In Libra, Venus is at home, radiating poise and coquettish charm.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
The new 14-track collection ballasts her familiar dreamy, coquettish sound with vulnerability and anguish.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
Nab this charming bag, which comes in all sorts of coquettish florals and prints that flawlessly fit the aesthetic.
—Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Portman added a pair of black heels with coquettish design elements, including the small bows on the front of the shoe.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
In Libra, Venus is at home, radiating poise and coquettish charm.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
The new 14-track collection ballasts her familiar dreamy, coquettish sound with vulnerability and anguish.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coquettish
Adjective
-
Seductively kittenish, Gardner lives up to her profane reputation.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2023
-
Madelyn Cline went full-on Old Hollywood bombshell, kittenish liner, polished lengths, and all.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Amazon is coy about the internals of all its Kindle devices and doesn’t release the name of the processor or the amount of RAM in the Colorsoft Signature Edition.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The cover is a coy reference to the R&B star’s disenchantment with traditional romantic relationships and prioritization of financial and material gain in her dealings with men, an accusation levied upon Anna Nicole Smith regarding her own love life.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The letters are largely written during World War II (the two married in November 1940 and Desi was drafted in 1943) and run the gamut from flirtatious to mundane.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Fans erupted as Kidman smiled and waved, leaning into the flirtatious energy of the moment.—
Bryan West,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead, Lovato and Horan chose to edge up the look, swapping the demure beige for a contrasting black bra, briefs, and semi-sheer tights.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Carpenter started selling a version of the album with a different, more demure photo on the cover.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coquettish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coquettish. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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