playful

[pley-fuhl] / ˈpleɪ fəl /

ADJECTIVE

funny, fun-loving

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful comical flirtatious frisky good-natured impish joking lighthearted lively mischievous spirited sprightly tongue-in-cheek whimsical

WEAK

antic blithe coltish elvish feeling one's oats frolicsome full of pep gamesome gay jaunty jesting jocund joyous merry mirthful prankish puckish rollicking snappy sportive teasing vivacious waggish zippy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

apathetic behaved depressed dispirited grave inactive lazy lethargic lifeless sad serious unhappy

WEAK

humorless working

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She later went from a figure-hugging sheer lavender Gucci gown to a playful daytime polka dot ensemble from Jacquemus matched with retro white sun glasses, with Elle magazine praising her "old Hollywood" dash.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

Apps can be fun and playful, and can help us maintain motivation, develop vocabulary and embed grammatical structures.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

But the playful way in which he delivered that line and his quick exit from the room raised a few eyebrows and only added to the mounting speculation.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Rachel Bonnetta opened the show with a mix of playful confidence and high-energy hilarity, perfectly warming up the crowd before introducing the main attraction to fans.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Joana's brother pumped a playful tune on the accordion.

From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys

Vocabulary lists containing playful

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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 6

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Tone and Point of View, List 2

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