coquettishness

noun

as in coyness
the attitude or behavior of one who insincerely courts the amorous attentions of others an Elizabethan comedy in which coquettishness and flirtatious banter are vehicles for humor and plot development

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coquettishness
  1. coyness
  2. coquetry
  3. flirtatiousness
  4. flirtation
Noun
  • There is her coyness about her future plans, and her own recent memoir.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
  • The Hunting Wives strips away any coyness about sexuality in the first three minutes of episode one.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of coyness
Noun
  • The three-inch heels that the women wear when performing the dance are visible at the bottom of the skirt—a demure bit of coquetry.
    — Fernanda Pérez Sánchez, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2022
  • In other words, the most dizzying and most consequential storyline of Michigan’s offseason — Harbaugh’s coquetry with the Minnesota Vikings notwithstanding — is going to linger a while longer.
    — Michael Cohen, Detroit Free Press, 27 July 2022
Definition of coquetry
Noun
  • Evocative animation, with subdued blue hues and soft lighting, conveys the flirtatiousness of their rapid connection in a scene where the two swim together in a pool at night.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of flirtatiousness
Noun
  • Yet these survivors are so hard-wired to be fearful of their neighbors that Hig and Cima’s rusty, tentative flirtation takes place under the gaze of her daddy’s gun, a heck of a chaperone.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Now, in Season 2, Issa is on the lookout for signs that her boyfriend is crushing on another housemate, while Anton and Paul Baker keep a watchful eye on one another, as much to quell further flirtation as to savor it.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of flirtation
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.

Browse Nearby Words

coquettish
coquettishness
coracle
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Cite this Entry

“Coquettishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coquettishness. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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