flighty
gb/flˈaɪti/ us/flˈaɪti/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
not serious or reliable
Not careful or responsible; not dependable.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is flighty (about [something])
Common mistake:
Often confused with flirty (romantically playful). Flighty is about being unreliable or not serious.
Synonyms
irresponsible (Stronger focus on failing duties.)
|
careless (Emphasizes lack of care rather than personality.)
|
scatterbrained (Suggests disorganized thinking and forgetfulness.)
Antonyms
reliable (Can be depended on to act responsibly.)
|
serious (Takes matters and responsibilities earnestly.)
|
steady (Consistent and dependable in behavior.)
Collocations
a flighty person
|flighty behavior
|a flighty decision
|flighty attitude
|rather flighty
|seem flighty
|too flighty
|a bit flighty
|flighty and irresponsible
|flighty but charming
Themes
personality
|social_life
|work
Examples
- He seems nice, but he can be a bit flighty when it comes to work commitments.
- It was a flighty decision, and she regretted it the next day.
- I don’t want a flighty roommate who forgets to pay bills.
Learner examples
- She is flighty and often late.
- That plan sounds flighty.
adjective
C1
property
2
changing mood or interest quickly
Changing your mind or feelings quickly.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is flighty / [someone]'s attention is flighty
Common mistake:
Do not use for normal variety or flexibility; it usually criticizes someone for being inconsistent.
Synonyms
fickle (Directly emphasizes changing loyalties or preferences.)
|
capricious (More formal; suggests sudden, unpredictable changes.)
|
mercurial (Often about quick mood changes; somewhat literary.)
Antonyms
consistent (Does not change quickly or unpredictably.)
|
constant (Steady in feelings or loyalty.)
|
stable (Emotionally or behaviorally steady.)
Collocations
flighty mood
|flighty temperament
|flighty attention
|flighty enthusiasm
|a flighty nature
|seem flighty
|get flighty
|her flighty interest
|flighty emotions
|flighty manner
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|personality
Examples
- Her attention was flighty, jumping from one topic to another.
- He can be flighty in his moods, cheerful one minute and irritated the next.
- They wanted a long-term partner, not someone flighty and uncertain.
Learner examples
- His moods are flighty.
- My attention is flighty today.
adjective
C1
property
3
easily frightened and hard to control
Easily scared and quick to run away (often an animal).
Usage pattern:
a flighty [animal] / [animal] is flighty
Common mistake:
In this sense it is close to skittish; it does not mean the animal can fly.
Synonyms
skittish (Most common synonym for animals that startle easily.)
|
jumpy (Informal; emphasizes sudden startled reactions.)
|
nervy (Highlights nervous temperament; common in riding contexts.)
Antonyms
calm (Not easily startled or frightened.)
|
steady (Reliable and unflappable, especially of a horse.)
|
docile (Easy to manage; not resistant or easily spooked.)
Collocations
a flighty horse
|a flighty mare
|flighty under saddle
|a bit flighty
|still flighty
|naturally flighty
|flighty around traffic
|flighty in crowds
|a flighty pony
|too flighty to ride
Themes
animals
|sports
Examples
- The horse was flighty around loud traffic, so she rode in quieter areas.
- After a few weeks of training, the pony became less flighty.
- It’s a talented animal, but still a bit flighty in new environments.
Learner examples
- This horse is flighty.
- The dog got flighty when it heard fireworks.
Grammar
Dictionary form
flighty
IPA
GB/flˈaɪti/
US/flˈaɪti/
Syllables & stress
flighty (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (flighty)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: flighty
- Comparative: flightier
- Superlative: flightiest
Word family
Forms
flightier
adjective
flightiest
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
flightless
adjective
Advanced or less common
flightiness
noun C1
flightily
adverb
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.