Definitions

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

Regardless of the genre in the mix at any given moment, “Somewhere Good” is consistently playful and exploratory, a ramshackle record where everything seems to land in the right place.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

A playful work of historical reclamation, it re-creates a women’s consciousness-raising group at an Ohio recreation center in the 1970s.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

They came with playful code names like “Fort Spunky” and “Project Panther,” masking the names of the tech companies that would operate them.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026

There were seven in the litter and he was the most playful of them all.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Vocabulary lists containing playful

In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 6

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Tone and Point of View, List 2

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!