1
as in playful
given to good-natured joking or teasing
a frolicsome uncle who was a favorite among his relatives
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joyful
joyously unrestrained
teachers smiling at the frolicsome students leaving school for summer vacation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of frolicsome
On April 4, Ogden will take part in the frolicsome, 100 percent amateur Nordic X race at the tiny Cochran’s Ski Area in Vermont.
—
Bill Donahue, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026
Known for her glamorous pursuits and doomed affairs, Princess Margaret has gone down in history as the frolicsome foil to her ever poised and solemn sister, Queen Elizabeth II.
—Maggie Turner, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Ah, but in the decades that Kernan spent meticulously researching this biography, a filmed version of the play was turned up, so admirers of Schuyler can now behold the young, frolicsome incarnations of him, O’Hara, and Freilicher, among others, in footage shot during two weeks in the Hamptons.
—Dan Chiasson, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Even Bauman’s funniest musical bits get swallowed in the show’s frothy, frolicsome relentlessness.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025
Both concentrated on paintings of frolicsome, amorous bunnies.
—Roberta Smith, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2023
On their first tour together in six years, Springsteen, 73, was physical and frolicsome, his taut face routinely enveloped in a smile, while his dynamic 18-member band helped take his songs, some of them nearly 50 years old, to new heights.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023
But back in the aughts, before Ganni's frolicsome offering of poplin collared dresses and knee-high chelsea boots became an unofficial uniform for western women in their mid-twenties and beyond, the company dealt exclusively in cashmere.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022
Bill Donahue, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026
Known for her glamorous pursuits and doomed affairs, Princess Margaret has gone down in history as the frolicsome foil to her ever poised and solemn sister, Queen Elizabeth II.
—Maggie Turner, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Ah, but in the decades that Kernan spent meticulously researching this biography, a filmed version of the play was turned up, so admirers of Schuyler can now behold the young, frolicsome incarnations of him, O’Hara, and Freilicher, among others, in footage shot during two weeks in the Hamptons.
—Dan Chiasson, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Even Bauman’s funniest musical bits get swallowed in the show’s frothy, frolicsome relentlessness.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025
Both concentrated on paintings of frolicsome, amorous bunnies.
—Roberta Smith, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2023
On their first tour together in six years, Springsteen, 73, was physical and frolicsome, his taut face routinely enveloped in a smile, while his dynamic 18-member band helped take his songs, some of them nearly 50 years old, to new heights.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023
But back in the aughts, before Ganni's frolicsome offering of poplin collared dresses and knee-high chelsea boots became an unofficial uniform for western women in their mid-twenties and beyond, the company dealt exclusively in cashmere.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frolicsome
Adjective
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Its founder, Mara McCarthy, is the daughter of Conceptual artist Paul McCarthy, who gained prominence in the 1990s for his playful installations critiquing pop culture and featuring such unusual materials as peanut butter, chocolate, and anal plugs.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
27 Apr. 2026
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The video offers a playful reminder of just how far remote work has evolved.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In that derelict playground, Lucy reminisces about her hippie youth, then spins in joyful abandon on a rusty carrousel.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Spring clearly has Reese Witherspoon in a joyful mood.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This lively street—lined with elegant colonial homes and cozy cafes and restaurants—culminates at the iconic Ex-Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, known for its nightly video-mapping shows projected in Spanish and in English.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
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The suit included some versions of Indiana’s trademark work, LOVE, which depicts the word love in lively serif characters, the LO situated atop the VE, with the O placed at an angle.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
YoshimiO, sharing fellow ’90s icon Flea’s recent interest in the instrument, turns in a credible trumpet line during the track’s shuffling, exuberant second half.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
24 Apr. 2026
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The 2019 Kennedy Center honoree, a protege of the late Leonard Bernstein, was a gifted pianist known for his exuberant compositions and ability to break down musical genres, and in particular, his dynamic interpretations of Gustav Mahler.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But today, beachgoers continue to stroll, sunbathe and frolic buck naked on that stretch of sand, in defiance of the law.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Alongside her, child actors dance and frolic with shadow puppetry in the land of make-believe, where youths go on adventures and learn math, science and reading skills.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Both Angela Ingersoll, who played the ever-hopeful Sally, and Michelle Duffy, as the cynical realist Phyllis, pulsed with vivacious energy, playing across from Rapp’s sardonic take on wound-tight Ben and Wallem’s deeply sad exploration of Buddy.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Noblezada stepped into the role of the tragically vivacious nightclub singer Sally Bowles, but rather than playing her unlikely lover Cliff, Carney was cast as the impishly sinister Emcee of the Kit Kat Club.—
Carey Purcell,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale, on the other hand, is deliciously bitter with tiny, effervescent bubbles that never overwhelm your palate.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Just smile, be more bubbly and effervescent.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The inflated globe was light and buoyant.—
Julian Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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Russell showed off some of the vehicle's key features, including a buoyant main body made from syntactic foam, a high performance material designed to withstand enormous pressure while maintaining flotation at massive depths.—
Jacob Wycoff,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frolicsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frolicsome. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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