frisky

adjective

ˈfri-skē How to pronounce frisky (audio)
friskier; friskiest
Synonyms of frisky
: inclined to frisk : playful
frisky puppies
also : lively
a frisky performance
friskily
ˈfri-skə-lē How to pronounce frisky (audio)
adverb
friskiness
ˈfri-skē-nəs How to pronounce frisky (audio)
noun

Synonyms of frisky

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of frisky in a Sentence

The kids were frisky after all that candy. a frisky kid who keeps the class in stitches with his jokes
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Then the Timberwolves got frisky. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026 Suppler than Tom Paxton’s original; not as frisky as Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton’s cover. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026 The Litles detailed in the complaint and in an interview with the Tribune how their frisky escapades, appearance and young children seemed to increasingly agitate residents and staff. — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026 The Chicago White Sox have smartly brought together a collection of international talents, veteran reclamation projects and frisky young prospects this season. — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for frisky

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frisky was circa 1500

Rhymes for frisky

See All Rhymes for frisky

Browse Nearby Words

friskingly
frisky
frisolée
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frisky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frisky. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

frisky

adjective
ˈfris-kē How to pronounce frisky (audio)
friskier; friskiest
: tending to frisk : playful
frisky puppies
also : lively
a frisky performance
friskily
-kə-lē How to pronounce frisky (audio)
adverb
friskiness
-kē-nəs How to pronounce frisky (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on frisky

Nglish: Translation of frisky for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All