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
  • Major reports about its immigration actions and pay-for-play operations have gotten significant airtime on the network and praise from Weiss.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Armstrong, appearing in his first NFL game as a rookie out of Cincinnati, hauled in a catch with an athletic play over the middle for 13 yards and a first down.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of play
Noun
  • Just look at the discourse surrounding LSU and Kiffin's recruiting efforts from Tiger fans and beat writers following the news of Royal's flip to Florida and Hudson's open flirtation with Nebraska.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Past albums have varied between melodic indie rock, jagged art rock, and even flirtations with hardcore.
    — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 12 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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