as in amusing
given to good-natured joking or teasing
the little girl was lighthearted and playful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
And the desk chairs weave a story of Nevis, adorned with nods to its lush flora and playful green vervet monkeys, the iconic ambassadors of the island.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
On Main Street, Majestic Repertory Theatre offers a distinctly different experience, combining a professional theater presence with bold, high-energy plays, musicals, and original works known for inventive set design, immersive elements, and a playful, sometimes provocative, approach.
—Mackenzie Jervis, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Williams draws us into the characters' magical realm with a playful yet slightly sinister music box theme that soon expands out into a grandiose series of orchestral broomstick swoops, setting the stage for the mega-successful series to come.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
This new accent is bold, bright, and unapologetically playful, drawing inspiration from the dramatic stripes of vintage circus tents and the fairground decor of this year’s Pinterest Predicts 2026 FunHaus trend.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for playful
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
On Main Street, Majestic Repertory Theatre offers a distinctly different experience, combining a professional theater presence with bold, high-energy plays, musicals, and original works known for inventive set design, immersive elements, and a playful, sometimes provocative, approach.
—Mackenzie Jervis, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Williams draws us into the characters' magical realm with a playful yet slightly sinister music box theme that soon expands out into a grandiose series of orchestral broomstick swoops, setting the stage for the mega-successful series to come.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
This new accent is bold, bright, and unapologetically playful, drawing inspiration from the dramatic stripes of vintage circus tents and the fairground decor of this year’s Pinterest Predicts 2026 FunHaus trend.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for playful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playful
Adjective
-
Weekly, Weber and Finger have kept reliable and amusing tabs on the ever-expanding universe of Whos and dissected the increasingly jumbled celebrity hierarchy.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
-
In his gobsmacking third appearance in the franchise, Tommy continues to be the victim of, well, not just Jason Voorhees, but somewhat amusing coincidence as well.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Also, according to ancient Norse lore, evil and turmoil were brought to the world by the mischievous god Loki, the 13th guest at a dinner party in Valhalla.—
Bailey Allen,
Cape Cod Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Sabate donned his yellow-and-blue costume and brought the mischievous spirit of the Minions to Milan in the men's short program Tuesday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Shear’s funny, entertaining and often-surprising play, which made its world premiere Sunday at La Jolla Playhouse, is not a story about the Child of TV fame.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Rowe and Mark May were presenters, while Rowe, a pioneer in women's sports broadcasting, interviewed all the nominees in her charming and entertaining way.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Foot traffic at restaurants, shops and mosques sharply declined, turning once-lively economic and social hubs into ghost towns, and threatening to cripple the livelihood of an entire community.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The lively City Hall gala was Boston’s third official celebration since the city formally recognized the day as a holiday in 2023, and attendees marked the occasion with a range of artistic showcases and performances.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
What follows is Rockwell and his merry band of misfits on a madcap romp through a dystopian landscape for a showdown with the future’s artificial nemesis.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Amaryllis flowers and winter greenery make for a merry arrangement.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Take Danielle Deadwyler, known as a dramatic heavyweight in award-winning projects like Till and The Piano Lesson, who gets to show off her goofier side here as Dylan, a poetry professor who becomes a wary confidante of Greg’s — and often steals the show.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
-
In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Stiller reflects on working with Boone, pulling off that wild stunt, and crafting his goofy character — and reveals what Boone ate for lunch just before flipping all over the stage.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In my suite and throughout the carriages, reflective surfaces and frisky curves channeled the midcentury aesthetic of the train’s namesake, Federico Fellini’s 1960 film La Dolce Vita.—
Adam Erace,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Every fashion photographer, model, chat-show host, and film director ends up here, on a perfect lick of beach, a short hop from the main drag of frisky boho Tulum.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
When the energetic Sun clashes with unpredictable Uranus, plans are likely to wobble, pushing us to adapt expectations and stretch comfort zones.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Good side gigs for these energetic individuals?—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playful. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
