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playfully

adverb

as in friskily

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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 playfully With a solid shade range (28 hues—playfully named after Los Angeles locales like DTLA, K-Town, and WeHo as a nod to the brand’s SoCal roots), you’re bound to find a match. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026 After replaying Colbert’s Emmy acceptance speech, Kimmel playfully lambasted his friend for giving a sweet paean to his wife, Evie, which made all the other late night hosts look bad with their own wives. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026 In one photo, Pelphrey playfully cradled Cuoco's baby bump while the actress stared at him with a comically strained smile. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026 Gary Oldman has reflected playfully on creating headlines around the world with his comments about the James Bond casting process. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2026 Politically savvy, wickedly and playfully witty, and in close touch with humanity’s many facets, Roger Simon was among the most admired newspaper columnists of his generation at a time when that world was rich in that species of wordsmiths. — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2026 Brown minidresses, rompers, and capes can feel sultry with black accessories, or playfully retro with all white. — Kelsey Stiegman, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2026 In the video, Hilton’s 3-year-old son Phoenix can be seen giggling as the puppy playfully chases him around the room while 2-year-old sister London looks on. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 Bonds, wearing an ear-to-ear smile, playfully grabbed Kent and shook him while laughing hysterically. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playfully
  1. animatedly
  2. airily
  3. energetically
  4. buoyantly
  5. briskly
  6. skittishly
  7. lively
  8. crisply
Adverb
  • Bindi, now a mother herself, posted a touching video of Steve animatedly describing her birth.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • By the end of our call, Michael Sheen is animatedly sharing stories of his family’s (potential) UFO sightings in south Wales.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of animatedly
Adverb
  • Still, while these surfaces are clearly meant to reflect deeper emotional and cultural truths, Coppola’s mining of them is done glancingly, airily.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of airily
Adverb
  • The 49ers energetically dominated in a 27-7 victory while the Rams exhaustedly despaired in front of more than 100,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a venue that hosts Australian rules football games that aren’t this ugly.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In what is often considered Pelechian’s magnum opus, the ancient antagonism of nature and humanity plays out in a depiction of a remote farming community, energetically scored with Armenian folk music and Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of energetically
Adverb
  • The song's interplay between choir and orchestra is buoyantly euphoric, opening a door to bolder, more intentionally progressive and soulful sounds in the country's mainstream.
    — Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 May 2025
Definition of buoyantly
Adverb
  • The animal was far from sprinting, instead taking a relaxed stroll at a speed surprisingly comparable to a human walking briskly to catch a bus.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The two exchanged a hug and Doyle then walked briskly to the elevator.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of briskly
Adverb
  • The horse, not sensing any guidance on its ribcage, begins to move skittishly in tight, concentric circles.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
  • While skittishly edited, the film nevertheless builds up Faithfull’s biography in basic chronological order.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
Definition of skittishly
Adverb
  • Fresh dill both in the filling and on top adds herbaceous notes that keep every bite lively.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The Windjammer The Windjammer is part restaurant, part legendary live-music venue, with a buzzy beachfront setting that keeps things lively well beyond dinner.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of lively
Adverb
  • This crisply cropped jacket from Theory is polished enough to wear to the office with suiting.
    — Alison Syrett Cleary, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The players move crisply even though a walkthrough is designed to be a non-contact and slower-paced session built for strategy.
    — Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of crisply

Browse Nearby Words

playful
playfully
playfulness
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Cite this Entry

“Playfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playfully. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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