1
a
: lively or frisky in action : capricious
b
2
: easily frightened : restive
a skittish horse
skittishly
adverb
skittishness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of skittish in a Sentence
We've been skittish about taking on such a large mortgage.
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
Recent Examples on the Web
Also along for the ride is a friendly but a little skittish English dude named Eric (Joseph Quinn) who doesn’t really know anyone in New York City and is understandably freaked out about all the vicious aliens that keep leaping down from surrounding buildings and killing people.
—
Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 27 June 2024
Trump finally took the task seriously and gave answers that may have helped ease the nerves of skittish GOP voters and swayed some undecided independents.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 26 June 2024
Even private consumption expenditure, the single engine that previously powered the skittish Indian economy, tanked to a nearly five-year low of 3.1 percent.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2019
But these coyotes are not skittish around their human neighbors.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for skittish 
Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 27 June 2024
Trump finally took the task seriously and gave answers that may have helped ease the nerves of skittish GOP voters and swayed some undecided independents.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 26 June 2024
Even private consumption expenditure, the single engine that previously powered the skittish Indian economy, tanked to a nearly five-year low of 3.1 percent.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2019
But these coyotes are not skittish around their human neighbors.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for skittish
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skittish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near skittish
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skittish. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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