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
McBride said a home is usually the biggest purchase in a consumer’s life and buyers can get skittish with economic uncertainty.
—
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
These dour trends align with what economically skittish Americans told pollsters who create the Conference Board’s consumer confidence index.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 18 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
These dour trends align with what economically skittish Americans told pollsters who create the Conference Board’s consumer confidence index.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 18 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
-
The excitable kids had been instructed several times to give Bryce Young room.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
1 June 2026
-
Myhrvold, now 66 and still the CEO of Intellectual Ventures, is jolly and excitable in conversation.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
In her early public appearances, she was often seen with her head bowed and her gaze upward, a posture that, alongside her soft-spoken demeanor, led the British press to characterize her as timid and reserved.—
Elle Meier,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
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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
Adjective
-
Both oil prices and global equities have been volatile on news of negotiations.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
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Guarantees and warranties Warranties provide vital financial peace of mind when dealing with volatile seasonal pests summer heat brings out.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fantasy managers were nervous about investing in Brown due to possible rotation but one per cent of them were rewarded with a goal, an assist and the scouting bonus.—
Holly Shand,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Hundreds of thousands of fans, sitting in bars throughout the city, watched televisions in nervous silence.—
Jenna Thompson
June 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The rapid rise and fall underscored silver's reputation as one of the market's most unpredictable assets.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
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The restaurant intended to add automatic 18 percent tips to every bill, since international tipping culture is often unpredictable.—
Rachel Siegel,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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