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Showing results for skittish. Search instead for skittishl.
Definitions

skittish

[skit-ish] / ˈskɪt ɪʃ /
ADJECTIVE
very nervous
Synonyms
STRONGEST
edgy excited fearful fickle giddy jumpy restive
WEAK
agitable alarmable capricious changeable combustible dizzy excitable fidgety flighty frivolous harebrained high-strung irresponsible lightheaded lively peppy playful scatterbrained sensitive spirited undependable unreliable volative whimsical zippy
Antonyms
STRONGEST
calm collected composed easygoing laid-back
WEAK
unworried

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.

Stories of job loss abound within the US Haitian diaspora as some employers become skittish over the uncertainty surrounding TPS.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

Tech firms’ ambitious plans for blowout spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure had already been making some investors skittish over the past couple of months.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

Airlines lost booking momentum when some customers turned skittish and made other plans ahead of Thanksgiving holiday as the shutdown ground on.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 13, 2026

The younger versions of Noah and Allie, callow and skittish, are laid out in broad strokes.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

Mary Alice was still skittish about the old snaggletoothed tomcat in the cobhouse.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck