playful

[pley-fuhl] / ˈpleɪ fəl /

ADJECTIVE

funny, fun-loving

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful comical flirtatious frisky good-natured impish joking lighthearted lively mischievous spirited sprightly tongue-in-cheek whimsical

WEAK

antic blithe coltish elvish feeling one's oats frolicsome full of pep gamesome gay jaunty jesting jocund joyous merry mirthful prankish puckish rollicking snappy sportive teasing vivacious waggish zippy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

apathetic behaved depressed dispirited grave inactive lazy lethargic lifeless sad serious unhappy

WEAK

humorless working

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Howletts said the youngsters were becoming "increasingly bold and playful" as they explore their surroundings.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Browne is intellectual, playful, cheeky — the domain of schoolboy dreams and art world fancy.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

The backlash was playful, but it reflected something real about the mood of the city.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

“Despite her global-movie-star status, there’s still that fantastically playful, wildly-enthusiastic-at-all-times little girl inside of her,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

A playful fall, or a nick in his skin—even a bumpy horse ride—could precipitate disaster.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Vocabulary lists containing playful

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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 6

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Tone and Point of View, List 2

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