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
  • Mahomes took a shotgun snap, rolled right to evade pressure and then desperately fired incomplete.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • With the score tied at 1-1, Tunisia was desperately searching for a last-minute winner of their own in the qualification match for the under-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of desperately
Adverb
  • Inside Lindblom, university leaders playfully lobbied on behalf of their campuses to a group of more than a dozen participants, who fired inquiries back about courses, postgraduation job success rates, campus accessibility and culture, and more.
    — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The vampy all-burgundy ensemble was playfully textural and was styled with burgundy tights and a bold burgundy red lip.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of playfully
Adverb
  • Alpha 1, who’s most strict about the disease’s suppression, lashes out uncontrollably.
    — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, wildfires have been blazing uncontrollably, most notably this week in the New Forest in southern England.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 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
  • But as their love affair gets steamier and Haru frantically tries to maintain her elaborate ruse, the dance numbers lose their luster.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Despite efforts to frantically re-staff, this is an agency in crisis.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 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
  • Sorkin briskly paints a portrait of a company with an uncongenial working environment and little transparency.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Stir briskly for 10 to 15 seconds, strain into a coupe or cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of briskly

Browse Nearby Words

skittish
skittishly
skittishness
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Cite this Entry

“Skittishly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittishly. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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