playful

adjective

play·​ful ˈplā-fəl How to pronounce playful (audio)
1
: full of play : frolicsome, sportive
a playful kitten
2
playfully adverb
playfulness noun

Examples of playful in a Sentence

She's an old dog, but she's still very playful. He had a playful expression on his face. a playful tone of voice You're certainly in a playful mood! She gave him a light playful slap on the knee.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Viewers were able to see the playful black Labrador, named Deuce, return home on-leash from a routine outdoor stroll. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024 Led by the resort’s resident marine biologist, you’ll soon be joined by playful pods of dolphins swimming alongside your boat. Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 The waters of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean draw pods of playful bottlenose dolphins that love to swim alongside boats and leap out of the water in graceful arcs. AFAR Media, 17 Dec. 2024 What to expect: The restaurant continues Diaz's playful exploration of combining the Mexican-American staples of his youth with cooking techniques from around the world, especially Asian cuisines. Zachery Eanes, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for playful 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of playful was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near playful

Cite this Entry

“Playful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playful. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

playful

adjective
play·​ful ˈplā-fəl How to pronounce playful (audio)
1
: full of play : fond of playing
a playful kitten
2
: humorous
a playful tone of voice
playfully adverb
playfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on playful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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