skittish

adjective

skit·​tish ˈski-tish 

1

a

: lively or frisky in action : capricious

b

: variable, fluctuating

2

: easily frightened : restive

a skittish horse

3

a

: coy, bashful

b

: marked by extreme caution : wary

skittish investors

skittishly adverb

skittishness noun

Synonyms

• excitable
• fiddle-footed
• flighty
• fluttery
• high-strung
• hyper
• hyperactive
• hyperexcitable
• hyperkinetic
• jittery
• jumpy
• nervous
• skittery
• spasmodic
• spooky

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

Wild leopards are typically skittish, and in many of Africa’s national parks and reserves, a leopard sighting is an extraordinary event. —Michael Harmon, New York Times, 12 May 2025

But persistent homophobia and an anti-LGBTQ+ political climate have still made too many companies, Disney included, skittish about capitalizing on that trend. —Ana Osorno, Them., 25 Apr. 2025

Banks that were expecting a resurgence in IPOs and deals are instead contending with skittish capital markets. —Gabrielle Fonrouge,annika Kim Constantino,leslie Josephs,ari Levy,amelia Lucas,melissa Repko,hugh Son,michael Wayland, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025

Sand, the more skittish of the pair, absconded to Canada. —John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from skit- (probably from Old Norse skyt-) + -ish

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for skittish

• british

Kids Definition

skittish

adjective

skit·​tish ˈskit-ish 

1

: lively or frisky in action

2

: easily frightened : restive

a skittish horse

3

: bashful

skittishly adverb

skittishness noun