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
Soft blush and ivory tones, satin bows, lace details and dainty ornaments make your space feel dreamy and coquettish.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
Kardashian's coquettish bow headband was a surprisingly traditional and festive look for the All's Fair star, who generally prefers a sleeker hairstyle or long, loose waves versus sweet or cheeky accessories.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 4 Dec. 2025
Prada, Dries Van Noten, and Onitsuka Tiger all showed satin sneakers for spring, and celebrities like Julia Roberts and Charli XCX can’t stop wearing Vivaia’s coquettish sneakerinas.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Nov. 2025
Their pearly-white feathers and coquettish long necks have been popping up all over the home decor space in recent months—on tabletops, in paper form, and even in lighting.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 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
The new 14-track collection ballasts her familiar dreamy, coquettish sound with vulnerability and anguish.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
Kardashian's coquettish bow headband was a surprisingly traditional and festive look for the All's Fair star, who generally prefers a sleeker hairstyle or long, loose waves versus sweet or cheeky accessories.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 4 Dec. 2025
Prada, Dries Van Noten, and Onitsuka Tiger all showed satin sneakers for spring, and celebrities like Julia Roberts and Charli XCX can’t stop wearing Vivaia’s coquettish sneakerinas.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Nov. 2025
Their pearly-white feathers and coquettish long necks have been popping up all over the home decor space in recent months—on tabletops, in paper form, and even in lighting.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 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
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
-
Hospitals were somewhat coy over their use of AI.—
Bob Herman,
STAT,
20 Jan. 2026
-
What Youngkin will do next is unclear yet, and when pressed about aspiring to the White House, the outgoing governor remained coy.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Newmar would play Batman's flirtatious, on-again-off-again adversary for two seasons, being replaced by Eartha Kitt for season 3.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Robby clearly has his hackles up where Al-Hashimi is concerned, but their tension also seems to sometimes border on flirtatious—even if Moafi claims romance isn't necessarily in the cards for the pair.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This sensibility is wonderfully demure (to use the mot du jour) and understated, letting the true star—the sweeping views of Portofino Bay, glimpsed through the doors to the balconies—really shine.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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Onstage, Abrams seemed the more demure of the two, strumming her guitar behind a mic stand while Hobert held her microphone in her hand and gesticulated with authorial flair.—
Carrie Battan,
Vulture,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coquettish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coquettish. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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