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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The Canadiens kept pushing and got a power-play goal of their own from Nick Suzuki late in the first period.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
7 May 2026 -
Junior reliever Owen Morgan, who picked up the pitching win, pointed to that play as exemplifying Clark’s value.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Others might strike up a flirtation that is loosely related to owning a pet.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
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By the end of the month, your social life heats up and a spontaneous night out, party or event could lead to a flirtation that becomes a lot more serious than expected.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 May 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 11 May. 2026.
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