1
as in lightness
a lack of seriousness often at an improper time
a warning that her usual flightiness wouldn't be tolerated at the ceremony honoring war veterans
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in anxiety
a state of nervousness marked by sudden jerky movements
his flightiness before the bar exam was so bad that he nearly made himself sick
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flightiness
Noun
-
There was a lightness in this really dark time.—
Breana Pitts,
CBS News,
11 May 2026 -
Rabin’s lyrics had been standard unrequited-love fare; Anderson rewrote them about a deeper spiritual loneliness and the drive to overcome it, and delivered them in his usual manner, the lightness of his tone somehow amplifying the thundering force of his conviction.—
Andy Cush,
Pitchfork,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
But the following year, as the pandemic wore on and crime rates ticked up, the politics of criminal justice in the city shifted toward law-and-order anxiety, even as new waves of COVID infection struck the jails.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
War rumbles on Putin, who has ruled Russia as president or prime minister since the last day of 1999, faces a wave of anxiety in Moscow about the war in Ukraine, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, left swathes of Ukraine in ruins, and drained Russia’s $3 trillion economy.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
This kind of optimism and cheerfulness can make leaders more empathetic and pleasant to work with, partly because psychology research finds that positive moods increase helping, generosity and interpersonal understanding.—
Aditya Simha,
The Conversation,
7 May 2026
-
Half critic, half concierge, Edwards’ round-ups are generally distinguished by a cheerfulness.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At the macro scale of society, loss of control seems like a legitimate reason for worry.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Their worry is that investors are treating this economic moment — physical supply disruptions, geopolitical fracturing, tariff whiplash — like the liquidity crises of the past, which were solvable with government cash.—
Rachel Keidan,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Friends including Whitney Cummings, Kaitlyn Dever, Ben Platt, Olivia Wilde, Uzo Aduba, Joey King and Monica Lewinsky chimed in with glee in comments on the joint post.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
Managers attacking journalists usually ends one way, and, predictably, Bild spent the rest of the weekend reporting with glee on Frankfurt’s defeat and poor form.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Meloni, weakened by a recent referendum defeat and facing public unease over the conflict, has insisted that any use of Italian bases for offensive operations would require parliamentary backing.—
Giada Zampano,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Brent was trading above $100 a barrel on Friday, while shipping and insurance markets continue signaling deep unease despite periodic ceasefire headlines.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Commentors, of course, had a mixed bag of reactions, ranging from arguing that Kelce is the Duchess of Delco to criticizing the governor's silliness.—
Kaitlyn McCormick,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Yet there’s wisdom amid the silliness, as the story gently makes a case for the necessity of grief, mindfulness and mortal awareness, even in a life otherwise unburdened by adult human responsibility.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff theorized that there were more distractions at home and possibly more nerves trying to give the home crowd its money’s worth.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Tremors happen when nerves aren’t properly communicating with certain muscles.—
Patrick Whittle,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Flightiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flightiness. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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