playful
Americanadjective
-
full of play or fun; sportive; frolicsome.
-
pleasantly humorous or jesting.
a playful remark.
adjective
-
full of high spirits and fun
a playful kitten
-
good-natured and humorous
a playful remark
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of playful
First recorded in 1200–50, playful is from the Middle English word pleiful. See play, -ful
Explanation
Use the adjective playful to describe someone who likes to have fun and doesn't take things too seriously. A playful kindergarten teacher makes everything seem like a game, even lining up to go outside for recess. A group of cheerful kids playing musical chairs at a birthday party can be called playful, and so can a litter of wiggly puppies. A playful joke might be mischievous, but it's meant in a silly, friendly way. This word has been around since the thirteenth century, in the sense of "full of play." The Old English root word is plegan, which means "frolic, move rapidly, make sport of, or play music."
Vocabulary lists containing playful
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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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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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.
One of those things was a more playful, loose approach to acting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Their designs may look playful, but researchers have now used these backyard devices to investigate a serious and decades-old question in physics.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
In the video, Barrymore showed off her playful side as she shimmied around her mobile living space, while giving fans a tour of its humble amenities—all while singer Enya’s “Caribbean Blue” played in the background.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
But the costume gives the format permission to become playful, campy and theatrical, which may be why it feels so at home in restaurant television.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
Horses were like dogs, sometimes calm, sometimes playful, sometimes mean as snakes.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
