skittishly

adverb

1
as in agitatedly

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2
as in playfully

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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
  • The simple answer is that air conditioning is not customary in France, and their architecture is traditionally not built to accommodate it well, even for those who are now desperately seeking relief.
    — Morgan Simon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • No contender needed offensive upgrades more desperately than the Guardians, who own the league’s worst team OPS.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of desperately
Adverb
  • Teams LeBron spurned, including the Heat and Timberwolves, have seen players like Bam Adebayo and Anthony Edwards playfully vow to challenge him.
    — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • At one point, Pataky playfully shoved her husband into a waterfall.
    — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of playfully
Adverb
  • Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 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
  • Fox recorded video of Stout leaving the area calmly after the fire started among others frantically getting away from the fast-spreading wildfire, Noel told the judge.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
  • Baela isn’t sleeping or eating and is frantically seeking redemption after blaming herself for Jace’s death.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Definition of frantically
Adverb
  • Threading through the film is Sienkiewicz’s own voice animatedly discussing his process and approach.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Alqasimi speaks animatedly about Alfred Hitchcock’s framing techniques in midcentury films like Rear Window and Rope, and the idea of withholding a complete view in order to sustain curiosity.
    — Mona Basharat, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2026
Definition of animatedly
Adverb
  • 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
  • The scene used one of the film’s funniest visual gags, an apartment so crazily tilted that nobody inside it could stand up straight.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Definition of crazily
Adverb
  • The neon lights began to move about briskly, like gleaming whirligig beetles, and the lights on the advertising tower closest to the stadium flickered across the Squirrel-brand margarine ad.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • On Saturday morning, which coincided with Vroman’s summer sale, three separate registers had briskly moving lines of 15-20 people or more around the store.
    — Erik Pedersen, Daily News, 28 July 2026
Definition of briskly

Browse Nearby Words

skittish
skittishly
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Cite this Entry

“Skittishly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittishly. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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