frolicsome

adjective

ˈfrä-lik-səm How to pronounce frolicsome (audio)
Definition of frolicsomenext
1
as in playful
given to good-natured joking or teasing a frolicsome uncle who was a favorite among his relatives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joyful
joyously unrestrained teachers smiling at the frolicsome students leaving school for summer vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of frolicsome The comedy is still the thing in this frolicsome outdoor production, which takes place in the charming ambiance of the festival’s portable, mini-Elizabethan venue. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 These wall drawings—at the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine, in 2024; the Art Institute of Chicago, in 2025; and Houston’s Menil Collection, in 2025—were all temporary, like frolicsome mirages. — Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026 The vitality of her language, its frolicsome dance with personification, communicates its own resistance in the face of an indifferent world, exploited by imperialist greed and barbaric, militant might. — Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026 The show starts frolicsome and then morphs into a farce that grows more than a little hellish, NPR critic John Powers writes. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 1 May 2026 On April 4, Ogden will take part in the frolicsome, 100 percent amateur Nordic X race at the tiny Cochran’s Ski Area in Vermont. — Bill Donahue, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frolicsome
  1. playful
  2. joyful
  3. lively
  4. exuberant
  5. frolic
  6. vivacious
  7. effervescent
  8. buoyant
Adjective
  • Classic tees for effortless layering, elegant slips for summer’s heat, statement skirts for a touch of drama, and playful outerwear for the season ahead.
    — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026
  • This flash of color feels like a playful wink—there’s something just a little Wes Anderson about it.
    — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • Led by Sreeti Mukerji and shaped by the creative vision of Alia and Shaheen Bhatt, ‘Don’t Be Shy’ is a joyful, heartfelt celebration of friendship, love, and the beautifully messy journey of growing up.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The point is not that patients should spend the money on something joyful instead of medication, bills or another necessity.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of joyful
Adjective
  • Back at the hotel, rotating art, live performances, wellness programming, and seasonal events keep things lively.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • People have flocked there from California, Washington and Oregon, taking advantage of Boise's lower cost of living, relatively mild winters, and lively outdoor scene.
    — CJ Haddad,Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • Their feelings change when Fran has an encounter with Silky (Nicola Coughlan of Bridgerton), an exuberant fairy, who invites her to join her for tea at the Magic Faraway Tree.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Corey Holland, Kamarie’s father, said his daughter was an exuberant 5-year-old who loved princesses and made people laugh.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of exuberant
Adjective
  • For those who want to bring their furry friends along, head to Bonita Beach Dog Park, a dog-friendly, off-leash tidal flat where pups can roam freely and frolic in the shallow waters.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
  • But today, beachgoers continue to stroll, sunbathe and frolic buck naked on that stretch of sand, in defiance of the law.
    — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of frolic
Adjective
  • As the sun dips below the horizon, a fleet of onlookers on jet skis and boats idle on the water to catch a peek of the vivacious scene.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • He’s often undermined though sometimes surprised by the series’ runaway favorite Esmeralda, played by a vivacious Sabrina Impacciatore.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of vivacious
Adjective
  • The gregarious and media-savvy Hilton has been waging an energetic and effervescent run for governor, with multiple appearances a day and frequent updates to his cheeky social media accounts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Along with the star, Bergamote 22 expertly blends in grapefruit and petitgrain for an effervescent opening, combined with white tea notes for extra freshness, plus a woody backbone of vetiver paired with amber and musk.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of effervescent
Adjective
  • However, developing specialized buoyant materials, underwater conduits, and anti-corrosive gear come with a premium price tag.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The buoyant 808s ping-pong back and forth, sounding like an aquatic marching band ushering in a deep-sea championship team.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of buoyant

Browse Nearby Words

frolics
frolicsome
from
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frolicsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frolicsome. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All