playful

[ pley-fuhl ]

adjective

1. full of play or fun; sportive; frolicsome.
2. pleasantly humorous or jesting:

   a playful remark.

playful

/ ˈpleɪfʊl /

adjective

1. full of high spirits and fun

   a playful kitten

2. good-natured and humorous

   a playful remark

Derived Forms

• ˈplayfully, adverb
• ˈplayfulness, noun

Other Words From

• playful·ly adverb
• playful·ness noun
• half-playful adjective
• half-playful·ly adverb
• half-playful·ness noun
• un·playful adjective
• un·playful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of playful¹

First recorded in 1200–50, playful is from the Middle English word pleiful. See play, -ful

Example Sentences

You can really just talk about you’re playful together in this dyad.

From Freakonomics

He is at once ambitious with serious ideas, while maintaining a playful side.

From Quanta Magazine

This month, we celebrate the playful genius of the famous British mathematician with two puzzles and an exploratory game.

From Quanta Magazine

It wasn’t playful but intentional, pointed and meant to be instructive.

From Washington Blade

It’s this OB-4 “magic radio” from Teenage Engineering, a design group that creates tech with a playful but premium approach.

From TechCrunch

Playful and gory, the cartoonish paintings of Dee Dee Ramone, bassist for The Ramones, are every bit as shocking as their creator.

From The Daily Beast

“Highly inquisitive, highly playful, always cheerful,” he recalls.

From The Daily Beast

A study in American military control, a haunting sui generis novel, and a playful new short story collection.

From The Daily Beast

As that clip played, Camille leaned over and gave her husband a playful poke in the ribs.

From The Daily Beast

Their playful exhibitions are often meant to be interactive and instill a childlike sense of joy in the viewer.

From The Daily Beast

They were very playful and inclined to talk—to do anything but lie quiet and go to sleep.

From Project Gutenberg

Away in the meadows the lights of his men's torches darted hither and thither like playful jack-o'-lanterns.

From Project Gutenberg

Then he said with a playful sadness: "A moment ago you were not completely innocent of irony, were you?"

From Project Gutenberg

Do not be fond of shewing my letter; the playful effusions of friendship would be construed by strangers as gross vanity.

From Project Gutenberg

I saw Mary Belle transformed from an ordinary playful scamp of a lamb to a primped and perfect darling of the show-ring.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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