kittenishness

noun

as in play
the attitude or behavior of one who insincerely courts the amorous attentions of others a literary heroine covering grit and guile underneath her kittenishness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for kittenishness
  1. play
  2. flirtation
  3. coyness
  4. coquetry
  5. flirtatiousness
Noun
  • Dak Prescott then orchestrated an 11-play, 74-yard drive that included a fourth down conversion and capped it with the throw to Lamb to give the Cowboys the victory.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • There was the Dolphins’ play of the day that ultimately wasn’t — a nimble escape from pressure and a dart to Chris Bell, who would have scored a 68-yard TD if one of his toes hadn’t grazed the sideline.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of play
Noun
  • And yet Melody also clearly engaged in some level of showmance — or at least super-duper mutual flirtation — with Drew, making for one of the franchise’s oddest romantic partnerships yet.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Further complications ensue as Wyatt and Kai’s flirtation escalates in ways that are supposed to make viewers feel uncomfortable, but not grossed out.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of flirtation
Noun
  • There is her coyness about her future plans, and her own recent memoir.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
  • The Hunting Wives strips away any coyness about sexuality in the first three minutes of episode one.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of coyness
Noun
  • The three-inch heels that the women wear when performing the dance are visible at the bottom of the skirt—a demure bit of coquetry.
    — Fernanda Pérez Sánchez, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2022
  • In other words, the most dizzying and most consequential storyline of Michigan’s offseason — Harbaugh’s coquetry with the Minnesota Vikings notwithstanding — is going to linger a while longer.
    — Michael Cohen, Detroit Free Press, 27 July 2022
Definition of coquetry
Noun
  • Evocative animation, with subdued blue hues and soft lighting, conveys the flirtatiousness of their rapid connection in a scene where the two swim together in a pool at night.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of flirtatiousness
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.

Browse Nearby Words

kittenish
kittenishness
kittens
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Cite this Entry

“Kittenishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kittenishness. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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