Word
skittish
Phoneticsskit·tish, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈskɪtɪʃ/
UK/skˈɪtɪʃ/
Definition
adj. easily scared or nervous, like a horse that jumps at small noises. You use it for animals and people who react quickly with fear or excitement.
adj. easily startled or nervously excitable; prone to sudden, erratic movement in response to minor stimuli. Often applied to horses and other animals, extended to people who are nervous, shy, or evasive.
Examples
“The skittish cat hides under the bed.”
“The rescue dog remains skittish around strangers and barks at sudden movements in the park.”
“Investors grew skittish after the mixed earnings reports, pulling back from riskier stocks until clearer signals emerged about interest rates.”
Examples
simple
“The skittish cat hides under the bed.”
contextual
“The rescue dog remains skittish around strangers and barks at sudden movements in the park.”
complex
“Investors grew skittish after the mixed earnings reports, pulling back from riskier stocks until clearer signals emerged about interest rates.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “skittish” in context.
Verb
01. become skittish
“The horses became skittish when thunder started in the distance.”
verb + adj
02. grow skittish
“She grew skittish after the car backfired loudly behind her.”
verb + adj
03. make skittish
“Lack of handling can make young horses skittish and nervous.”
verb + adj
04. skittish about
“Investors are still skittish about putting money into tech stocks.”
adj + prep
Adjective
05. extremely skittish
“The young filly was extremely skittish and jumped at every sound.”
adv + adj
06. notoriously skittish
“Arabian horses are notoriously skittish around loud machinery.”
adv + adj
07. rather skittish
“The rescue dog was rather skittish when we first brought him home.”
adv + adj
08. a rather skittish horse
“They warned us she was a rather skittish horse.”
09. become skittish around strangers
“Rescue dogs often become skittish around strangers at first.”
10. get skittish in new surroundings
“Horses often get skittish in new surroundings for a few days.”
11. grow skittish at loud noises
“The colt began to grow skittish at loud noises from the road.”
12. remain skittish about investing
“Many savers remain skittish about investing after the crash.”
Real-World Examples
“Investors remained skittish about vulnerability to technology shares, which stumbled this month on concerns AI exuberance has driven up valuations to expensive levels.” “Brent crude fell below $20 a barrel and U.S. crude plunged 25% on Monday, driven lower by skittish investors fleeing the U.S. benchmark due to lack of available storage to deal with a coronavirus-induced collapse in demand.” Etymology
Probably from skite (“to move lightly and hurriedly; to move suddenly, particularly in an oblique direction (Scotland, Northern England)”) + -ish; compare skitter.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/skittish