as in amusing
given to good-natured joking or teasing
the little girl was lighthearted and playful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of playful
The lyrics, coated in a playful metaphor of dessert, delve into the intoxicating rush of new romance.
—
Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Luenell leaned into the segment’s playful vibe and didn’t hold back.
—Elizabeth Rosner, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Meet this super smart and playful girl today at Wayside Waifs.
—Trish Stinger and, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
Designers are leaning into contrast, pairing breezy fabrics with tailored precision while a muted yet playful color palette sets the tone.
—Jailynn Taylor, Essence, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for playful
Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Luenell leaned into the segment’s playful vibe and didn’t hold back.
—Elizabeth Rosner, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Meet this super smart and playful girl today at Wayside Waifs.
—Trish Stinger and, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
Designers are leaning into contrast, pairing breezy fabrics with tailored precision while a muted yet playful color palette sets the tone.
—Jailynn Taylor, Essence, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for playful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playful
Adjective
-
Nothing would be more amusing than this saga continuing into the Final Four.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Nick’s fixation on Sawyer’s luxe truck was understandable and consistently amusing.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
For families with mischievous kids, another unit with a more robust child lock, like the Samsung or GE models, would be better.—
Meg St-Esprit,
Bon Appétit,
18 Mar. 2025
-
But Kerrygold, the cheese brand, believes that according to Irish folklore, that little pocket was meant to hold cheese and ward off mischievous fairies.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
WWD,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
An otherwise entertaining year became quite messy in the final stages and ended on a sour note.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Comments Murder is the final course during a state dinner with foreign dignitaries on The Residence, a deliciously entertaining new murder mystery from Shondaland.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The popularity of this area is booming, with creatives and entrepreneurs enjoying the proximity to both nature and a lively community.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Located in the lively South Lamar enclave, Zilker Studios also showcases its designer’s flair for space efficiency.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite the merry mix-up, Sustr successfully put the ball in the net with 21:17 left for the Knights, who held on for a 2-1 victory in a Windy City Ram Classic second-round game in New Lenox.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The merry month of May used to be an outlier on the Red Rocks Amphitheatre calendar, and any artist that dared book past September tempted the wrath of show-stopping cold and snow.—
John Wenzel,
The Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Oh boy, wacky antics, including vomiting and other goofy altercations!—
Andy Hoglund,
EW.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Monty tends to be very energetic and goofy, while Sam is far more chilled out.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Chamberlin oversaw the spiritual and energetic cleansing of each fragrance during a final ceremonial step.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Higher temperatures generally mean more energetic particles and a higher rate of collisions, leading to brighter auroras.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
There are five great teams in the West, and two more that could be frisky.—
Corey Masisak,
The Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2025
-
This year, Iowa doesn't have the resume for a higher seed, but still the Hawkeyes have been frisky, knocking off then-No. 4 USC in February on the day Clark's jersey was retired.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Playful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playful. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share