1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a skittish housing market had both buyers and sellers on edge
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 skittish
But if studios arrive feeling skittish about spending money, not even that famous French sunshine will heat up an ice cold marketplace.
—
Brent Lang, Variety, 12 May 2026
The staff manning the cart periodically struck the metal tops of the bottles of Clase Azul, a flourish that caused a few jumps among the more skittish attendees.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 26 Apr. 2026
The Florida legislature will meet later this month to consider gerrymandering proposals, but there too, many Republicans have become skittish.
—Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
More remarkable is his ability to convince skittish engineers, investors, and a tech-skeptical public that their priorities, even when mutually exclusive, are also his priorities.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Brent Lang, Variety, 12 May 2026
The staff manning the cart periodically struck the metal tops of the bottles of Clase Azul, a flourish that caused a few jumps among the more skittish attendees.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 26 Apr. 2026
The Florida legislature will meet later this month to consider gerrymandering proposals, but there too, many Republicans have become skittish.
—Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
More remarkable is his ability to convince skittish engineers, investors, and a tech-skeptical public that their priorities, even when mutually exclusive, are also his priorities.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
-
Myhrvold, now 66 and still the CEO of Intellectual Ventures, is jolly and excitable in conversation.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
-
An unexpected collaboration opportunity is very possible under today’s trine between excitable Mars and erratic Uranus.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
David Fine as Scorpius does an enormous amount of heavy lifting by injecting urgency and pathos, despite his character’s timid personality.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
-
Chances of Musk becoming the world’s first trillionaire were timid when the markets first opened on Kalshi.—
Ananya Chetia,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Mario Tama | Getty Images Global stock markets remain volatile amid uncertainty in the Middle East and a focus on artificial intelligence stocks.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
-
But beyond this picturesque scene, there is a volatile combination of brutal rebel violence and a burgeoning Ebola outbreak.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
JPMorgan's traders are getting nervous about the state of the current stock market.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
8 June 2026
-
Countless fans have taken to social media with similar issues, but some were too nervous to talk with WBZ-TV on camera for fear of it impacting their status.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
The two men emerged from a crowded field of candidates in the most unpredictable governor’s race in more than a quarter of a century.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
Prices are subject to rapid, unpredictable changes due to factors like, but not limited to, supply/demand, weather, and geopolitical events.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
