COLTISH Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

coltish

adjective

ˈkōl-tish

Definition of coltish

as in playful

given to good-natured joking or teasing off camera the actor is high-spiritedly coltish, but turns serious once the camera starts rolling

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of coltish Onstage, with a coltish appeal and arms akimbo, Starcrawler singer Arrow De Wilde exudes a punk power akin to a mutant offspring of Debby Harry, Michael Monroe and Iggy Pop. — Katherine Turman, SPIN, 21 Sep. 2022 By starring in her own film, Lindon makes her own youth apparent as an artist, as well as the youth of her character, who remains coltish and childlike. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2021 In the role of the young Diana, Corrin is effortlessly perfect, conveying Diana’s memorable physical qualities, including her coltish grace and head-down/eyes-up stance, along with a vivid blend of vulnerability and cunning. — oregonlive, 10 Nov. 2020 On a bare-bones stage with the moodiest of lighting, her band little more than silhouettes, Lorde gestured and danced with a coltish awkwardness that contrasted with the maturity in her big, confident yet confiding voice. — Greg Kot, chicagotribune.com, 28 Mar. 2018 Harrison Coll, a corps dancer who made his debut as Romeo on Tuesday, is endearingly impulsive and coltish. — Alastair MacAulay, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coltish

playful

Adjective

For good measure, Pabst’s social media updates took a tongue-in-cheek approach that may have actually convinced people the posts were more playful than actual pleas for help.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
The world went in, and pliant, playful interpretations flowed out.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of playful

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colt

coltish

coltishness

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“Coltish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coltish. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of coltish

adjective

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