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What is another word for skittish?

Need synonyms for skittish? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

Easily excitable with an excessive amount of energy

Faint of heart and easily frightened

Showing or feeling anxiety, insecurity or uncertainty

(of a person) Playfully frivolous or unpredictable

Playful in a flirtatious way

Quick or likely to change consistently

Rather offbeat or eccentric

Silly, especially in a childish way

Irritable and quick to take offense at petty things

Cautious, hesitant, or nervous about something

… more ▼

Adjective

▲

Easily excitable with an excessive amount of energy

“He could be a pillar of strength and steadiness when need required, and then in a trice turn and become as skittish and excitable as a young colt.”

Adjective

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Faint of heart and easily frightened

lacking self-confidence

lacking in confidence

frightened out of your wits

scared witless

meager^US

scared to death

scared out of your wits

with your heart in your mouth

shaking in one's shoes

meagre^UK

like a lamb to the slaughter

ignoble

daft

nerdy

afraid of one's own shadow

terrorized^US

without a will of your own

stunned

upset

terrorised^UK

afraid of one's shadow

more ❯

“In general, bonding with a horse is like gaining the trust of a skittish child.”

Adjective

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Showing or feeling anxiety, insecurity or uncertainty

like a cat on a hot tin roof

on tenterhooks

like a cat on hot bricks

in a state of agitation

with your heart in your mouth

traumatized^US

agonized^US

at the end of your tether

with one's stomach in knots

horror-struck

having butterflies in the stomach

waiting for the axe to fall

shaking in one's shoes

scared out of your wits

bemoaning

wailing

agonised^UK

racked with suffering

paralyzed with fear^US

paralysed with fear^UK

traumatised^UK

frightened out of your wits

waiting with bated breath

fearfully anticipating

apprehensively expecting

like a fish out of water

put out of countenance

terrorized^US

terrorised^UK

more ❯

“Marketing organizations and travel suppliers have been quite skittish about the upcoming season.”

Adjective

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(of a person) Playfully frivolous or unpredictable

full of vim and vigour

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

full of get-up-and-go

feeling one's oats

good-humoured^UK

full of pep

full of joie de vivre

without a care in the world

full of the joys of spring

as happy as a sandboy

in seventh heaven

tickled to death

beside oneself with joy

like a dog with two tails

more ❯

“Ganatra brings a quiet, sensual intensity to her role in Chutney Popcorn, perfectly complementing Hennessy's skittish character.”

Adjective

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Playful in a flirtatious way

“Mabel was skittish and flirty, twisting around on the lead as she tried to show herself off.”

Adjective

▲

Quick or likely to change consistently

flakey^US

flaky^UK

full of ups and downs

checkered^US

chequered^UK

continuously changing

more ❯

“Amid skittish markets, a sharp fall in S&P index futures had fed through to the stock market.”

Adjective

▲

Rather offbeat or eccentric

“The picture's skittish sense of humor is typified by the inclusion of Roger Moore sending up as far as is legally possible his turn as James Bond.”

Adjective

▲

Silly, especially in a childish way