as in friskily
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
The effortless, off-kilter aesthetic informed Porte’s sartorial vision, playfully juxtaposing his sculptured garments with silhouettes reminiscent of the same era.
—
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 27 Jan. 2026
Southern California is an ecologically diverse agricultural wonderland which yields a style of progressive cuisine that’s equal parts radical simplicity and playfully inventive, rooted in what are arguably the best farmers markets in the country.
—Emily Wilson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
The real Chichiarelli was shot six times under mysterious circumstances a few months after his role in the Securmark robbery, similar enough to the climactic murder in The Big Fake for director Lodovichi to playfully suggest, like a good noir should, that facts can easily be fiction in disguise.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Upon entering the foyer, I was greeted by a growling animatronic Chewbacca, playfully adorned with a Christmas hat for the holiday season.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
Tracy playfully questioned Brett, who was the president of his fraternity, for being dateless and not dressing on theme.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Neon or fluorescent colors were used in carpeting as a fun way to integrate accent colors, but according to Jill Greaves, an interior designer and founder of Jill Greaves Design, there are more sophisticated and current ways to playfully design a room, like with paint or wall art.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2026
Ilicheva planned to find a happy medium between the two models by leveraging AI to massively scale up the service approach, creating software for their own in-house accountants, which Ilicheva playfully calls bionic accountants.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Posing alongside her former rugby player beau, Scherzinger playfully pouted at the camera and threw her fingers up in a peace sign.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 27 Jan. 2026
Southern California is an ecologically diverse agricultural wonderland which yields a style of progressive cuisine that’s equal parts radical simplicity and playfully inventive, rooted in what are arguably the best farmers markets in the country.
—Emily Wilson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
The real Chichiarelli was shot six times under mysterious circumstances a few months after his role in the Securmark robbery, similar enough to the climactic murder in The Big Fake for director Lodovichi to playfully suggest, like a good noir should, that facts can easily be fiction in disguise.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Upon entering the foyer, I was greeted by a growling animatronic Chewbacca, playfully adorned with a Christmas hat for the holiday season.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
Tracy playfully questioned Brett, who was the president of his fraternity, for being dateless and not dressing on theme.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Neon or fluorescent colors were used in carpeting as a fun way to integrate accent colors, but according to Jill Greaves, an interior designer and founder of Jill Greaves Design, there are more sophisticated and current ways to playfully design a room, like with paint or wall art.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2026
Ilicheva planned to find a happy medium between the two models by leveraging AI to massively scale up the service approach, creating software for their own in-house accountants, which Ilicheva playfully calls bionic accountants.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026
Posing alongside her former rugby player beau, Scherzinger playfully pouted at the camera and threw her fingers up in a peace sign.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playfully
Adverb
-
Fallon played a clip of DiCaprio from the night, in which he was filmed animatedly speaking to someone about KPop Demon Hunters.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The mom of two could be seen typing and looking animatedly at her screen, appearing shocked.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
This is a rebirth point, emotionally, energetically, and intuitively.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 Dec. 2025
-
In a two- to three-quart bowl, whisk the eggs and add the maple syrup, milk, and vegetable oil, mixing energetically with the whisk.—
Jeffrey Steingarten,
Vogue,
23 Nov. 2025
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
Adverb
-
Emotional depth and suspense both seem out of reach in a story that moves along briskly enough, without ever feeling like more than a formulaic outline.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Taking place in real time, Mercy mercifully moves along fairly briskly.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
While skittishly edited, the film nevertheless builds up Faithfull’s biography in basic chronological order.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
The neighborhoods of Alfama and Bairro Alto stay lively late into the night with fado music, good wine, and shared plates.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Dec. 2025
-
His disdain for Christmas is no match for visits from enchanting ghosts, a lively ensemble of characters, and the music of the season.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Then again, maybe $1,000 just rolls trippingly off the tongue and into Trump’s good graces.—
Stephen Gandel,
The Seattle Times,
3 Feb. 2018
-
One man, whose arrogance and ego lead him trippingly into chaos of his own making, can turn a shining city on the hill into a shadowy, taudry replica of itself. …—
James Hohmann,
Washington Post,
14 July 2017
Adverb
-
The 33-year-old Al Nassr forward shot crisply into the bottom corner, past a wrong-footed Mohamed El-Shenawy in the Egypt goal.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Lightfoot’s vocals were added later, as his crisply enunciated singing, vivid lyrics and Irish-style folk melody sold the storytelling.—
Brian McCollum,
Freep.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Playfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playfully. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
