1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know
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3
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a skittish housing market had both buyers and sellers on edge
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of skittish
Progressives love the idea, but even many moderate Democrats are skittish about the prospect.
—
Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
His scar doesn't seem to physically affect him, but he gets spooked by sudden or loud noises and can be skittish.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
John Higgins and Martin Herlihy play skittish first-time skydivers.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
But skittish investors are now concerned about the outlook for a bellwether banking stock, along with broader concerns about slowing U.S. economic growth.
—Hugh Son, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for skittish 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skittish
Adjective
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Green, an excitable optimist, isn’t particularly concerned about the future.Hank Tucker, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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Know your audience, an excitable kind of reader informs the author of a piece that fails to flatter his pretensions or reinforce her most uncharitable assumptions about her political opponents.Noah Rothman, National Review, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Julia Roberts had a timid initial reaction to Leave the World Behind.Raven Brunner, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
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But, yes, there still is a timid approach from the perimeter.Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But for that, there’s a lot of information: particulates, temp, CO2, humidity, volatile compounds, outdoor air quality index, hoo-boy.Simon Hill, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024
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Set along a volatile stretch of the Colombia-Venezuela border in 2010, the engrossing eye opener revolves around gas smugglers and always feels real and raw.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The uneven results also reflected the nervous feeling among many buyers after the US presidential election on November 6.Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 27 Nov. 2024
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Co-created, written and executive produced by Gillis, Tires follows Will (Steven Gerben), the nervous and unqualified heir to an auto repair chain, attempts to turn his father’s business around despite constant torture from his cousin and now employee, Shane (Gillis).Denise Petski, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But the best argument against the End of Life bill is the fearful example of other nations that have tried the same, namely Belgium and Canada.The Editors, National Review, 27 Nov. 2024
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Harbaugh’s not a fearful coach under any circumstances, but his little brother seems to draw out the gunslinger within.Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Until then, Californians will be urged to prepare for potential water shortages as the state navigates another year of unpredictable extremes.Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
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Loggins is a surprisingly versatile songwriter with a sinuous delivery and a knack for unpredictable funk.Elias Leight, Billboard, 2 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near skittish
Cite this Entry
“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skittish. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
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