as in amusing
given to good-natured joking or teasing
the little girl was lighthearted and playful
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of playful
At the same time, there’s a playful, creative or romantic energy pulling you in.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
Modern Heirloom’s playful quilt is made from extra-lightweight cotton voile that’s perfect for spring.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2026
The book, his first, is filled with his joyous, playful spin on these recipes, all doable for a regular home cook, yet leveled up with El-Waylly’s creativity and smart culinary techniques.
—Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 2 May 2026
Sports events, the theater, the arts and playful activities with children will delight you.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for playful
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
Modern Heirloom’s playful quilt is made from extra-lightweight cotton voile that’s perfect for spring.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2026
The book, his first, is filled with his joyous, playful spin on these recipes, all doable for a regular home cook, yet leveled up with El-Waylly’s creativity and smart culinary techniques.
—Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 2 May 2026
Sports events, the theater, the arts and playful activities with children will delight you.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for playful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playful
Adjective
-
Heck, even co-creator Ed Boon pops up for a reasonably amusing cameo as a bartender.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
-
Smith’s involvement, though, is a bit more amusing.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Choi produced a mischievous grin.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
-
This is a high-spirited opening for curious neighbors and travelers alike, with a mischievous sense of fun that firmly roots guests in their destination.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet entertaining and best-selling as their books may be, those authors don’t write chick lit.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
4 May 2026
-
Arguably the most entertaining, and unforgiving, runway in the world, forget about the Grammys or even MTV Music Awards at its peak.—
Alex Badia,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Tollgate, a pub frequented by hundreds of United supporters on matchdays, is lively even two and a half hours before kick-off.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
That was until this Dutch upstart with his European aesthetic, lively and colorful stores and eye-popping marketing campaigns began to chisel away at their market share.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Looking for an excuse to eat, drink and be merry this weekend?—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Knoxville and his merry band of delightfully sadistic goons are back for one possibly final rodeo.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But the goofier parts of Over Your Dead Body offer some hope for the future.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a steadiness to Tung/Wonder Woman that stands out for its quiet authority in a frequently goofy landscape peppered with poisonous robes and finger-eating minions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Then the Timberwolves got frisky.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The Litles detailed in the complaint and in an interview with the Tribune how their frisky escapades, appearance and young children seemed to increasingly agitate residents and staff.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Harbour The Harbour will be an outdoor theme park with both wet and dry experiences inspired by Asia's most energetic cities.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
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The awkward catching-up process turns into energetic conversations about race, relationships, class, status and rehabilitation, then shifts to deep familial spiritual bonding.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playful. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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