1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skittish
At a time when celebs in general seem more skittish than ever about social media and fans (with good reason) and while everything else online seems especially …bad, the timing is exactly right for this kind of real-life-meets-social-media-goofiness to flourish.
—
Erin Strecker, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2024
But, unlike France, for example, British officials have been noticeably skittish about the possibility of deploying soldiers, under any scenario.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
And some lawmakers, advocates and medical experts argue that even if exceptions are in place, doctors and hospitals will remain skittish about intervening.
—Ziva Branstetter, ProPublica, 17 Jan. 2025
The report comes with markets skittish over the state of inflation and the Fed’s potential response.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for skittish 
Erin Strecker, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2024
But, unlike France, for example, British officials have been noticeably skittish about the possibility of deploying soldiers, under any scenario.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
And some lawmakers, advocates and medical experts argue that even if exceptions are in place, doctors and hospitals will remain skittish about intervening.
—Ziva Branstetter, ProPublica, 17 Jan. 2025
The report comes with markets skittish over the state of inflation and the Fed’s potential response.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for skittish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
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Alain Delon plays his excitable, passionate nephew, and the luminous Claudia Cardinale the daughter of a local bureaucrat whose romance with Delon becomes the vessel by which the Prince’s family will maintain its power in the future.—
Kevin Lincoln,
Vulture,
20 Jan. 2025
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As an actor, Branagh has a voice that’s high, excitable, and light, and his physicality possesses a tomcat sneakiness.—
Helen Shaw,
The New Yorker,
11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Trump could instead lead with Vice President JD Vance’s promise: Boost the Child Tax Credit to $5,000 per child for young families, a progressive idea submitted by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) last week in a timid insurgency by Republican moderates who prefer to lift middling Americans.—
Bruce Fuller,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2025
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Thus far this season, Sheppard, averaging 11.6 minutes per game, has struggled to get acclimated, often appearing timid and indecisive with the basketball.—
Rahat Huq,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Dado Ruvic | Reuters Inflation worries, tariffs under the Trump administration and earnings season could continue to keep the stock market volatile and rattle investor sentiment.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2025
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With Earth's weather being altered in dangerous ways, the U.S. government turns to Cody to uncover the truth behind these volatile natural disasters.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Atop all this, Floria is charged with supervising nervous, error-prone student nurse Amelie (Selma) — tempers fray as precious time runs out.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
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In the final round, a nervous Castle missed his first four dunk attempts for his first dunk of the round, before finishing with pizzaz on a between-the-legs up-and-under one-handed flush.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Afghan nationals who had worked with the United States or NATO forces were particularly fearful of reprisals from the Taliban.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN,
6 Feb. 2025
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For instance, things like the strict use of the belt and different things about not being able to make mistakes and being very hyper cautious and aware for us and fearful for us.—
ABC NEWS,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But here’s what the L.A. fires have taught us: No plan survives its first encounter with an unpredictable reality.—
Josh Klein,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2025
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With its surprising best picture win at the Critics Choice Awards — its only prize of the night — the $6 million dramedy, which claimed the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, has solidified itself as a major contender in an unpredictable awards season.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near skittish
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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