as in amusing
given to good-natured joking or teasing
the little girl was lighthearted and playful
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of playful
The dusty light pink is playful yet mature and can be found on appliances like hand mixers, toasters, and slow cookers.
—
Ali Faccenda, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
The footage highlights the playful nature of donkeys, often overshadowed by their reputation as stubborn animals.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Lego Duplo Interactive Adventure Train offers a hands-on building experience with moving parts and playful details, while the Lego Friends Beekeepers’ House and Flower Garden is a hit with nature lovers.
—Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 14 Jan. 2025
The duo of actresses have had a playful rivalry after the Modern Family actress lost her Griselda Emmy nomination to Foster last year.
—Luke Chinman, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for playful 
Ali Faccenda, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
The footage highlights the playful nature of donkeys, often overshadowed by their reputation as stubborn animals.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Lego Duplo Interactive Adventure Train offers a hands-on building experience with moving parts and playful details, while the Lego Friends Beekeepers’ House and Flower Garden is a hit with nature lovers.
—Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 14 Jan. 2025
The duo of actresses have had a playful rivalry after the Modern Family actress lost her Griselda Emmy nomination to Foster last year.
—Luke Chinman, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for playful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playful
Adjective
-
Rogan found this amusing given Harris’s prior public support for cannabis reform but speculated her prosecutorial record on marijuana offenses might have influenced this decision.—
Tribune Content Agency,
The Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2025
-
And, gosh, what is the deal with the rest of their graduating class (including a desperately funny Kelly McCormack, whose animus toward Agnes is both understandable and very amusing)?—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Travelers in search of mischievous chimps will soon be able to stay at River Station, an eco-chic camp built by Wildplaces Africa near Kyambura, while Great Lakes Safaris is constructing Padibi Lodge on the site of a former Jane Goodall research center in Budongo.—
Alexandra Owens,
Robb Report,
23 Jan. 2025
-
My brother navigated the single-lane, snaking roads with a mischievous, childlike grin.—
Sara Lieberman,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
All-terrain golf carts are a popular, convenient, and supremely entertaining way to reach even some of the more hidden beaches around the island.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Jan. 2025
-
For the man, the house is an expression of love and creativity, while his brother and niece see it more as an entertaining object.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Grover Grover is a lively and enthusiastic blue monster who loves exploring and going on new adventures.—
Casey Clark,
Parents,
16 Jan. 2025
-
From Ali’s perspective, this story is a quintessential Black ‘Dena story: eco-conscious, family orientated, spiritually vibrant, and lively — even in death.—
Keyaira Kelly,
refinery29.com,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Our gift to you: have yourself a merry little moment with giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
24 Jan. 2025
-
The American musical before 1927 had been light stuff—part operetta, part revue—a merry playground for sparklers like George M. Cohan and Cole Porter.—
Helen Shaw,
The New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Ultimately, while The Substance got off to an intriguing start, the majority of the film and especially its goofy ending was mostly cheap shock value and amateurish satire built on the flimsiest premise imaginable.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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Comedian and host Conan O’Brien was named the newest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy on Thursday. O’Brien, 61, has carved out an improbable decades-long career arc, moving from goofy television interloper to comedic elder statesman.—
Ashraf Khalil,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This fresh and energetic horror movie makes a notable new addition to Soderbergh's storied filmography.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
25 Jan. 2025
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For such an energetic and vertical player, runs like that one should net him many more.—
George Caulkin,
The Athletic,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
It’s got the loose, frisky feel that none of the many Band imitators found a way to copy.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
21 Jan. 2025
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Expect particularly frisky bison and elk, which begin to migrate north for summer around this time.—
Tanvi Chheda,
AFAR Media,
17 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near playful
Cite this Entry
“Playful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playful. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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