as in kittenish
affecting shyness or modesty in order to attract masculine interest
an 18th-century painting of a coquettish maiden dallying with a young moonstruck gallant
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Recent Examples of coquettish
The intelligence official, who helps train America’s newest generation of overseas intelligence officers, said these pretend tourists feign a lack of English, adopt a coquettish manner and play dumb to probe the area’s perimeter and identify its weak and strong points.
—
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Additional coquettish details came from ruffles at the bodice of the dress and lace peeking above the neckline.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Simply brushing them out of your eyes can feel like a coquettish, kittenish gesture!
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
Pink lace trim and bow accents give a standard French tip a pretty, coquettish touch.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
Soft blush and ivory tones, satin bows, lace details and dainty ornaments make your space feel dreamy and coquettish.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
Prada, Dries Van Noten, and Onitsuka Tiger all showed satin sneakers for spring, and celebrities like Julia Roberts and Charli XCX can’t stop wearing Vivaia’s coquettish sneakerinas.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Nov. 2025
Their pearly-white feathers and coquettish long necks have been popping up all over the home decor space in recent months—on tabletops, in paper form, and even in lighting.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 2025
Nab this charming bag, which comes in all sorts of coquettish florals and prints that flawlessly fit the aesthetic.
—Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Additional coquettish details came from ruffles at the bodice of the dress and lace peeking above the neckline.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Simply brushing them out of your eyes can feel like a coquettish, kittenish gesture!
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
Pink lace trim and bow accents give a standard French tip a pretty, coquettish touch.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
Soft blush and ivory tones, satin bows, lace details and dainty ornaments make your space feel dreamy and coquettish.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
Prada, Dries Van Noten, and Onitsuka Tiger all showed satin sneakers for spring, and celebrities like Julia Roberts and Charli XCX can’t stop wearing Vivaia’s coquettish sneakerinas.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Nov. 2025
Their pearly-white feathers and coquettish long necks have been popping up all over the home decor space in recent months—on tabletops, in paper form, and even in lighting.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 2025
Nab this charming bag, which comes in all sorts of coquettish florals and prints that flawlessly fit the aesthetic.
—Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coquettish
Adjective
-
Simply brushing them out of your eyes can feel like a coquettish, kittenish gesture!—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Seductively kittenish, Gardner lives up to her profane reputation.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2023
Adjective
-
And Democrats themselves have been coy about the prospect of another impeachment.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
-
But the rest is simply informative, neither coy nor overly blunt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Many, many softly curled tendrils descended from all angles, giving the updo even more soft texture and brushing her neck and collarbones for a flirtatious, come-hither vibe.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Then, as the two warm to each other, KuveNiemann moves the mic stands closer to each other — like flirtatious strangers scooching close on a park bench.—
Theater Critic,
San Francisco Chronicle,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
At first, some of the people were a little shy or demure.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Her custom Giorgio Armani Privé gown was a sleeveless ivory silk that looked demure enough from the front, but had a skin-baring split down both sides.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coquettish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coquettish. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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