1
a
: lively or frisky in action : capricious
b
2
: easily frightened : restive
a skittish horse
skittishly
adverb
skittishness
noun
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
The Growth Imperative Being skittish online is costly.
—
Sai Sandeep Ogety, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Some multimillionaires are feeling skittish with all this uncertainty, sure, but others aren’t.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 7 May 2025
The opening track — as yet unannounced — is built around a skittish drum beat and soft guitars, and sees Carner, a father of two, singing amid the hum of domesticity.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2025
Global market sentiment is becoming more skittish over the conflict between Iran and Israel and the possibility of further U.S. involvement.
—Ganesh Rao,jenni Reid,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for skittish
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.
Sai Sandeep Ogety, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Some multimillionaires are feeling skittish with all this uncertainty, sure, but others aren’t.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 7 May 2025
The opening track — as yet unannounced — is built around a skittish drum beat and soft guitars, and sees Carner, a father of two, singing amid the hum of domesticity.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2025
Global market sentiment is becoming more skittish over the conflict between Iran and Israel and the possibility of further U.S. involvement.
—Ganesh Rao,jenni Reid,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for skittish
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skittish. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share