" skittishly "

1: as in agitatedly, crazily;

•  Synonyms : 

•  agitatedly,

•  confusedly,

•  crazily,

•  desperately,

•  feverishly,

•  haywire,

•  uncontrollably,

•  amok,

•  berserk,

•  berserkly,

•  frantically,

•  frenetically,

•  frenziedly,

•  harum-scarum,

•  hectically,

•  helter-skelter,

•  madly,

•  pell-mell,

•  wild,

•  wildly,

•  heedlessly,

•  hotheadedly,

•  recklessly,

•  wantonly,

•  chaotically,

•  riotously,

•  tumultuously,

•  turbulently,

•  aimlessly,

•  haphazard,

•  haphazardly,

•  hit or miss,

•  topsy-turvy

•  Antonyms : 

•  calmly,

•  collectedly,

•  composedly,

•  coolly,

•  imperturbably,

•  peacefully,

•  placidly,

•  self-composedly,

•  self-possessedly,

•  serenely,

•  unconcernedly,

•  meekly,

•  mildly,

•  passively,

•  tamely,

•  methodically,

•  orderly,

•  systematically

2: as in playfully, friskily;

•  Synonyms : 

•  friskily,

•  gamesomely,

•  playfully,

•  sportively,

•  airily,

•  animatedly,

•  animately,

•  bouncily,

•  buoyantly,

•  gaily,

•  high-spiritedly,

•  livelily,

•  lively,

•  perkily,

•  pertly,

•  snappily,

•  sparkily,

•  spiritedly,

•  sprightly,

•  trippingly,

•  vivaciously,

•  briskly,

•  crisply,

•  effervescently,

•  energetically,

•  jazzily,

•  racily,

•  springily,

•  breezily,

•  cockily,

•  dapperly,

•  dashingly,

•  jauntily,

•  agilely,

•  nimbly,

•  spryly,

•  allegro

•  Antonyms : 

•  dully,

•  inanimately,

•  sluggishly,

•  tardily,

•  halfheartedly,

•  idly,

•  indolently,

•  lazily,

•  lethargically,

•  slothfully,

•  heavily,

•  inactively,

•  listlessly,

•  tiredly,

•  wearily

1: easily excited by nature;

  * e.g., " ... the skittish colt leapt up when we approached "

•  Synonyms : 

•  excitable,

•  fiddle-footed,

•  flighty,

•  fluttery,

•  high-strung,

•  hyper,

•  hyperactive,

•  hyperexcitable,

•  hyperkinetic,

•  jittery,

•  jumpy,

•  nervous,

•  skittery,

•  spasmodic,

•  spooky

•  Antonyms : 

•  imperturbable,

•  nerveless,

•  unexcitable,

•  unflappable,

•  unshakable

2: easily frightened;

  * e.g., " ... the cat is skittish around people she doesn't know "

•  Synonyms : 

•  fainthearted,

•  fearful,

•  fearsome,

•  mousy,

•  scary,

•  shy,

•  timid,

•  timorous,

•  tremulous

•  Antonyms : 

•  adventuresome,

•  adventurous,

•  audacious,

•  bold,

•  daring,

•  dashing,

•  gutsy,

•  hardy,

•  venturesome,

•  venturous

3: likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly;

  * e.g., " ... a skittish housing market had both buyers and sellers on edge "

•  Synonyms : 

•  capricious,

•  changeable,

•  changeful,

•  fickle,

•  flickery,

•  fluctuating,

•  fluid,

•  inconsistent,

•  inconstant,

•  mercurial,

•  mutable,

•  temperamental,

•  uncertain,

•  unpredictable,

•  unsettled,

•  unstable,

•  unsteady,

•  variable,

•  volatile

•  Antonyms : 

•  certain,

•  changeless,

•  constant,

•  immutable,

•  invariable,

•  predictable,

•  settled,

•  stable,

•  stationary,

•  steady,

•  unchangeable,

•  unchanging,

•  unvarying