skittishly

adverb

1
as in agitatedly

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in playfully

Related Words

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 skittishly The horse, not sensing any guidance on its ribcage, begins to move skittishly in tight, concentric circles. — 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittishly
  1. desperately
  2. playfully
  3. uncontrollably
  4. buoyantly
  5. frantically
  6. animatedly
  7. crazily
  8. briskly
Adverb
  • Cohen insists the joke was always on Ali G, not the Black culture the character was so desperately trying to emulate.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Fielder played up a version of himself on the show, acting as a dumbly ambitious business school graduate, socially inept and desperately seeking connection.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of desperately
Adverb
  • As the characters playfully debated the rise of Fascism, the dialogue often felt transcribed from some Brooklyn polycule.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Fitzpatrick playfully responded to Talib in a video Sunday but did not fully address his criticism of Nix until appearing on his podcast.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of playfully
Adverb
  • In June 2016, Blair, who was returning to Los Angeles from a vacation in Cancun, Mexico, began screaming uncontrollably and causing chaos on the flight.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Alpha 1, who’s most strict about the disease’s suppression, lashes out uncontrollably.
    — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncontrollably
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
  • Lawson was then seen frantically messing with the right side of his pants and holding a dark object in his right hand, police said.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • As all of this was playing out, hardcore Dylan fans were frantically trying to figure out who was playing guitar on the far side of the stage.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of frantically
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
  • So, in recognition of the country's semiquincentennial, here's a proudly Memphicentric and crazily ambitious if inevitably incomplete list of 250 — count 'em, *250* — Memphis artists and entertainers.
    — John Beifuss, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 2 Aug. 2026
  • And when Andreeva hits one of her crazily creative shots and turns to Martínez for praise, she is met with a smile, and maybe some clapping.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 June 2026
Definition of crazily
Adverb
  • At the offices, Karp steered me briskly past open-plan tables and upholstered nooks, past signage announcing corporate fun.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Bomgren suggested options such as cycling, rowing, or walking briskly uphill.
    — Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of briskly

Browse Nearby Words

skittish
skittishly
skittishness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skittishly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittishly. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All