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Synonyms

skittish

American  
[skit-ish] / ˈskɪt ɪʃ /

adjective

  1. apt to start or shy.

    a skittish horse.

  2. restlessly or excessively lively.

    a skittish mood.

  3. fickle; uncertain.

  4. shy; coy.

skittish British  
/ ˈskɪtɪʃ /

adjective

  1. playful, lively, or frivolous

  2. difficult to handle or predict

  3. rare coy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • skittishly adverb
  • skittishness noun

Etymology

Origin of skittish

1375–1425; late Middle English, perhaps derivative of the Scand source of skite 1; -ish 1

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.

“Equity markets are rightfully skittish just now, because all three factors are in play,” said Colas.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

Equity investors have grown increasingly skittish about AI’s impact on companies once seen as beneficiaries of the technology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

One concern for SAP is that would-be customers have become a little more skittish in an uncertain geopolitical environment.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

Everyone feels a little stressed, a little skittish, a little tender to the touch.

From Salon • Jan. 19, 2026

I hadn’t learned much about her, as she was still shy and skittish.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.