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
Noun
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This run in pool play served as a monumental, if expected, step for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026 -
Some fans of rival clubs may take exception to either side’s style of play, or fanbase, or history, or manager, or some of their players, or their owners, financial might or, in City’s case, the pending Premier League charges.—
The Athletic,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Will Trump’s growing flirtations with American boots on the ground risk a quagmire that will swallow American lives and souls similar to the experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq?—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, a secret flirtation might be percolating on the back burner.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There is her coyness about her future plans, and her own recent memoir.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
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The Hunting Wives strips away any coyness about sexuality in the first three minutes of episode one.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Kittenishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kittenishness. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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