SKITTISHNESS Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

skittishness

noun

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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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 skittishness Gorky was using European traditions—Roberto Matta’s Surrealism, Picasso’s neoclassicism, Cézanne’s explorations—to make work that captured New York’s sexiness, skittishness, and force. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 This summer, major shoe brands from Nike to Adidas to Under Armour to On have each expressed skittishness about the retail environment for sneaker sales. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Hybrids past and present High fuel prices, broader selection and lingering skittishness around EV range and charging are pushing an unprecedented number of buyers toward hybrids. — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 23 July 2026 Was that skittishness behind Hollywood’s absence from Cannes this year? — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 May 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittishness

Noun

The Social Reckoning stars Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White each had their own unique anxieties about following up 2010’s beloved The Social Network.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
The unrest followed days of clashes in Liège, where more than 200 people were arrested, while demonstrators in Brussels described growing anxiety over the cost of daily life.

— Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of anxiety

Noun

The euro sank to its lowest level against the dollar since May 2025 over Spain’s snap elections added to mounting fiscal and political worries across the region.

— Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Such strong growth is what’s allowed stocks to rally near records despite a long list of worries and challenges.

— Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of worry

Noun

That slight sense of unease, coupled with Faith’s crystalline country voice and boundary-pushing songwriting, is at the core of her record Cherry Valley (and the recent deluxe version, Cherry Valley Forever).

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
Asked whether the ongoing appeals create any unease, Rosario waved it off.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of unease

Noun

Market jumpiness can serve as a good moment for those nearing the end of their career to make sure their nest egg is prepared for a downturn, Benz said.

— Annie Nova,Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
Conference Board economist Dana Peterson noted these state indexes have a history of statistical jumpiness.

— Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025

Definition of jumpiness

Noun

And then the game starts, the nerves dissipate, and the opponent is methodically slayed.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
For someone whose energetic stomp through Lagos helped introduce her to much of the internet, nerves still arrived when the Chanel runway beckoned.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of nerves

Noun

Key Takeaways Most vitamins do not directly cause jitteriness, but certain supplements can make people feel shaky, restless, or overstimulated.

— Sara Hoffman, Verywell Health, 29 June 2026
The constant movement might make some audience members dizzy, yet its jitteriness signifies the anxiety and unease of the characters, both in their skin and with each other.

— Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 25 May 2026

Definition of jitteriness

Noun

The killing of a woman in Okinawa has sparked an outcry across Japan and inflamed long-simmering tensions over the US military presence on the island.

— Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026
The long sleeves of the blazer included a bevy of thin, frayed feathers that created textural tension.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of tension

Noun

In spite of the intermittent aesthetics of edginess, Bass is better understood as a foray into a classic mid-career pop-star conceit.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
In many ways, this movie set the template for the modern action-comedy blockbuster, but few of its many imitators have come close to matching the spunky edginess and swooning romantic intrigue of the original trend-setter.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of edginess

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skittishly

skittishness

skive

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“Skittishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittishness. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of skittishness

noun

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