1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a skittish housing market had both buyers and sellers on edge
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skittish
More remarkable is his ability to convince skittish engineers, investors, and a tech-skeptical public that their priorities, even when mutually exclusive, are also his priorities.
—
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Never before has every half-drunk joke, every stumble of language, been so on the record; never before has the moral climate been so skittish — so quick to litigate tone, ignore intent and presume motive.
—Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Soaring food and energy costs related to world conflicts, post-pandemic labor shortages, and consumers skittish about spending in this turbulent economy have become huge challenges for restaurateurs, Guez says.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Investors have become skittish and are looking for value.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Never before has every half-drunk joke, every stumble of language, been so on the record; never before has the moral climate been so skittish — so quick to litigate tone, ignore intent and presume motive.
—Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Soaring food and energy costs related to world conflicts, post-pandemic labor shortages, and consumers skittish about spending in this turbulent economy have become huge challenges for restaurateurs, Guez says.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Investors have become skittish and are looking for value.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
-
An unexpected collaboration opportunity is very possible under today’s trine between excitable Mars and erratic Uranus.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
At the Ricardo residence in the ’50s sitcom I Love Lucy, over-the-top housewife Lucy and Ricky, her excitable husband, were always getting into some sort of entertaining hijinks.—
Michael Gioia,
Architectural Digest,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Your favorite team probably doesn’t use them much, if at all, because they’re considered extremely difficult and most GMs are timid babies who are afraid of getting yelled at.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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That bill is a direct response to a Supreme Court that handed the executive branch a dangerous blank check and a Congress too timid to push back.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Everything is imperfect and volatile.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
Gas and oil prices have been rising but volatile since the conflict began.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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There was laughter, nervous laughter, lots of nervous laughter, and also tears.—
Roberto Prieto,
Variety,
19 May 2026
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Providing the voice of one of the many alien characters is Martin Scorsese, who has some amusing moments with his typically rapid-fire delivery as a nervous street food vendor whom Djarin pumps for information.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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That's difficult because oncology is among the most expensive and unpredictable areas of healthcare, with high drug costs and the fragmented care that attracted the company's attention in the first place.—
Ellen Sheng,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
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Produced by Kunal Kemmu and Chirag Nihalani through their Drongo Films banner, Vibe centers on two inseparable friends whose ordinary, unassuming lives spiral into an unpredictable, high-energy adventure that pushes their survival instincts and friendship to the limit.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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