frothy

American  

[fraw-thee, froth-ee] / ˈfrɔ θi, ˈfrɒθ i /

adjective

• frothier,
  comparative
• frothiest
  superlative

1. of, like, or having froth; foamy.

2. unsubstantial; trifling; shallow; empty.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• frothiness
  noun
• frothily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• frothier
  comparative
• frothiest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of frothy

First recorded in 1525–35; froth + -y ¹

Explanation

Something frothy is composed of many small air bubbles. You might like your cappuccino frothy but probably not your tap water. If you order a cappuccino at a cafe, you'll get a cup of strong coffee topped with frothy milk, and a cake recipe might instruct you to beat four eggs until they're frothy. In both examples, air bubbles cause a liquid to become foamy and creamy. A frothy person, however, is bubbly in a different way, full of life and excitement. There's often an implication of "insubstantial," or even "silly" when a person or idea is described as frothy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

frothy frothier frothiest

Overall, the pattern of responses from advisers paints a picture of frothy optimism at a high level, coupled with a fundamental concern about the implications of policy on financial security.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

The Aero warms the water and incorporates the matcha, leaving you with a frothy base to serve on its own or mix with milk, lemonade, peach nectar or even espresso.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

His depiction of sordid behavior—like his rich portrait of Mumbai—adds the required texture to this frothy caper.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

A frothy white water splash suggests the presence — and momentary absence — of the swimmer now submerged in cool water.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026

I was falling, the black, frothy water coming at me.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Anna Simonovsky, 32, said that her upper limit had gone from $7 for a latte -- a milkier, frothier drink than a cortado -- to as much as $10.

From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2025

For a film that recalls Kidman’s past roles and meets her in this present artistic moment — where she’s been deftly juggling prestige with frothier mainstream projects — “Holland” should be a coup.

From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2025

The new breed of retail investor has acquired the image of a flighty, speculative day trader just looking to make a fast buck, especially in the riskier, frothier parts of financial markets such as crypto.

From Reuters ● Aug. 19, 2022

Ms. Reed famously hated eggnog, but she loved a good milk punch, which is eggnog’s lighter, frothier cousin.

From New York Times ● Aug. 31, 2020

It became frothier and frothier, and it turned from blue to white to green to brown to yellow, then back to blue again.

From "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl

As global stocks push toward all-time highs, a gauge of market risk has reached its frothiest level since the 2000 downturn, but investors should not be backing away quite yet.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 5, 2026

In 2021, investors poured money into newly public companies, creating the frothiest IPO market in decades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

"Everything has to have its own necessity for being - even the frothiest sort of fun movie," Streep says.

From BBC ● May 1, 2026

The show, postponed two months from its usual early-January perch, will have little of what makes the Globes one of the frothiest and glitziest events of the year.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 27, 2021

Mrs. Gilmer was one of those light-headed and light-hearted women, who float upon the topmost and frothiest wave of society, herself a glittering bubble.

From Fairy Fingers A Novel by Anna Cora Ogden Mowatt Ritchie