1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
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3
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a skittish housing market had both buyers and sellers on edge
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skittish
Despite his skittish nature and love for screaming, Chips has a soft spot for music — especially the Game of Thrones intro, which sends him into a singing frenzy.
—
Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 May 2025
Rising economic anxiety, even among the 5% Evidence from the housing market and beyond suggests that the top 5% of U.S. households are growing skittish.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 27 May 2025
At the same time, progressives are too skittish about enforcing seemingly any criminal law, moderate Democrats don’t want to look like progressives, and Republicans are Republicans.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 7 May 2025
Image Image Isn’t there a risk that a skittish cat will be frightened by a dog and go deeper into hiding?
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 May 2025
Rising economic anxiety, even among the 5% Evidence from the housing market and beyond suggests that the top 5% of U.S. households are growing skittish.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 27 May 2025
At the same time, progressives are too skittish about enforcing seemingly any criminal law, moderate Democrats don’t want to look like progressives, and Republicans are Republicans.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 7 May 2025
Image Image Isn’t there a risk that a skittish cat will be frightened by a dog and go deeper into hiding?
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
-
In 2023 and the first months of 2024, his name cropped up in a lot of excitable articles in the Rio de Janeiro press.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
-
The telling of the entire story of America, after all, calls into question the greatness that Donald Trump pledges to restore, and agitates a base that remains threatened and excitable by our multicultural reality.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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At the time, David was a bit timid around dogs and initially kept his distance.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
3 June 2025
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In the film, Colin, a timid man is swept off his feet when Ray, an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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But make no mistake: the situation remains extremely volatile.—
Robert Rapier,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
-
Israel’s strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders unawares, is the latest sign of a more volatile world.—
Rob Gillies,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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After a decade of mayhem, property destruction, and nervous soldiers firing into a crowd, the rebellion broke into gunfire between British regulars and American militia at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
17 June 2025
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Around liberal America, these were the questions asked with a nervous laugh at dinner parties, in office small talk, on university campuses.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Fed officials have been reluctant to move, fearful that tariffs Trump implemented this year could cause inflation in the coming months.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
18 June 2025
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The law was blocked by a judge, but Martinez said some workers and companies are still hesitant and fearful of enforcement.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Each response is a surprise, tapping into the psychological principle of intermittent reinforcement, famously demonstrated by psychologist B.F. Skinner, where unpredictable rewards significantly amplify behaviors, much like gambling addiction.—
Curt Steinhorst,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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The Big Apple is full of complex, unpredictable scenarios for the Waymo Driver software to handle: Jaywalking pedestrians, trucks parked in the street, complex intersections, heavy rains, and harsh winter weather, to name a few.—
Emily Forlini,
PC Magazine,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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