PLAYFUL Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

playful

adjective

ˈplā-fəl

Definition of playful

as in amusing

given to good-natured joking or teasing the little girl was lighthearted and playful

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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 playful The elevated loft is the fourth sleeping zone of the home, and is designated as the children’s quarters, giving the cabin a playful, camp-like feel. — Bridget Borgobello july 03, New Atlas, 4 July 2026 The intimate and playful short has played widely on the festival circuit. — Alissa Simon, Variety, 4 July 2026 Waterhouse took the evening’s florals in a more playful direction. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 July 2026 Best Hotels & Resorts Americana Motor Hotel The playful design scheme of the Americana Motor Hotel is impossible to ignore. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for playful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for playful

Adjective

Also, the booing of every single hydration break has been surprisingly amusing every single time.

— Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Joel David Smallbone is briefly amusing as a cranky aristocrat and the rest of the cast does what they are expected to do.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 1 July 2026

Definition of amusing

Adjective

The bride and groom both wore custom Christian Dior looks designed by Jonathan Anderson, who’s known for elaborate, mischievous designs.

— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Months after Scary Movie's release, Abrahams starred as the mischievous Denny Byrnes in Meet the Parents (2000).

— Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 June 2026

Definition of mischievous

Adjective

Set the scene Morea House’s contemporary, angular facade faces right out onto the beach from where the lively V&A Waterfront is a 20-minute drive north, with Sea Point, another popular stretch of seafront, just 11 minutes away by car.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
Known for its sprawling waterfront cottages and lively social scene, Muskoka sets the stage as relationships, careers, and personal lives collide.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 9 July 2026

Definition of lively

Adjective

Some may argue that the more the merrier applies as much to advocacy for social justice as to anything else.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026
When former President Barack Obama addressed the massive, merry crowd at the Obama Presidential Center dedication ceremony on June 18, a few lines landed like a balm.

— Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026

Definition of merry

Adjective

If the Marbella Club is the grande dame of this Andalusian resort town, Puente Romano Marbella is its younger, friskier sister on the Golden Mile.

— Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026
Music, in fact, punctuates the intense dramatic story arcs in Wilde’s third directorial feature, an Edward Albee-like relationship dramedy set around a frisky dinner get-together between two couples in a San Francisco apartment building.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 1 July 2026

Definition of frisky

Adjective

Work with Your Design Style A color this bright and energetic couldn’t possibly be versatile, too, right?

— Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 July 2026
Brazil were energetic and vertical, Vinicius Junior and Rayan stretched their opponents and Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time winner was just reward.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of energetic

Browse Nearby Words

playfellows

playful

playfully

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“Playful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playful. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of playful

adjective

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