as in anxiety
a state of nervousness marked by sudden jerky movements
because of the horse's skittishness and temperamental nature, only experienced riders should ride him
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Recent Examples of skittishness
Now, with early voting for the March 3 primary set to start next week, the mudslinging in both races is expected to soar, according to insiders with both parties watching with skittishness from Texas and Washington.
—
Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
The skittishness with tech stocks subsided on Friday, with shares of Nvidia and Microsoft going up, as did the price of Bitcoin.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
Analysts and former diplomats told CNN that successive British governments have failed to strike the correct balance on China, resulting in a policy characterized by mistrust, skittishness and incoherence.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
But their skittishness and brutality are qualities associated with fear, not resolve.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Her singular blend of severity and skittishness is unrivalled in the poetry of her peers.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
If Monday’s recovery can shake off the skittishness felt during Friday’s rough market reversal .
—John Melloy, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Lewis says his skittishness stems from a fear that competitors will copy Darrow’s model, and from sensitivity around ethical rules about sharing attorneys’ fees with non-lawyers.
—Jeff Kauflin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Others think the frugality signals economic skittishness.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2025
Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
The skittishness with tech stocks subsided on Friday, with shares of Nvidia and Microsoft going up, as did the price of Bitcoin.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
Analysts and former diplomats told CNN that successive British governments have failed to strike the correct balance on China, resulting in a policy characterized by mistrust, skittishness and incoherence.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
But their skittishness and brutality are qualities associated with fear, not resolve.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Her singular blend of severity and skittishness is unrivalled in the poetry of her peers.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
If Monday’s recovery can shake off the skittishness felt during Friday’s rough market reversal .
—John Melloy, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Lewis says his skittishness stems from a fear that competitors will copy Darrow’s model, and from sensitivity around ethical rules about sharing attorneys’ fees with non-lawyers.
—Jeff Kauflin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Others think the frugality signals economic skittishness.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittishness
Noun
-
The dueling anxieties have been brewing for months.—
Jeran Wittenstein,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Remember that meaning can vary widely from person to person—for example, a dog can mean safety and loyalty to one person or fear and anxiety to another.—
Lisa Wong Macabasco,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Its stock has been under pressure because of worries that competitors powered by artificial intelligence technology could upend its industry and take away customers.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
But the new study—along with previous research—reiterates that worries of weight gain with mango consumption aren’t substantiated.—
Lauren Manaker MS,
Health,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As each skated and waited for their scores to post, the crowd tittered with nervous unease.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Conference Board economist Dana Peterson noted these state indexes have a history of statistical jumpiness.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
30 Dec. 2025
-
His jumpiness in the pocket, decision-making and lack of deep passes are a cause for concern, potentially.—
Chase Gemes,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Too much carbon dioxide can also lead to a condition called hypercapnia, or too much CO2 in your bloodstream, which can become chronic and affect your lungs, brain, nerves and muscles, according to Cleveland Clinic.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The prospect of conflict in Iran has stoked nerves about potential disruptions to the global oil supply and a corresponding surge in oil prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The combination of sugar and caffeine may cause more jitteriness than coffee alone.—
Caitlin Beale,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Four Sigmatic coffee contains less caffeine to help prevent jitteriness and energy crashes.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The tension between maintaining recognizable signatures and demonstrating evolution remains central to her strategy.—
Amy Francombe,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Sports are inherently fraught with tension, but some seem preordained to it more than others.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Feeling hesitant about periwinkle’s edginess?—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
29 Jan. 2026
-
High-waist black leather pants and a crop top add edginess, while the trench effortlessly pulls the look together.—
Samantha Brash,
InStyle,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skittishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittishness. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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