spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ə-təd 
: full of energy, animation, or courage
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
spiritedness
noun
plural -es
: the quality or state of being spirited : animation, liveliness, vivacity
her natural spiritedness detested the monotony—
George Meredith
—often used in combinationGeorge Meredithmean-spiritedness
public-spiritedness
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You may see spirited used to describe a conversation, a debate, a horse, or a campaign. And it often shows up in such words as high-spirited ("bold and energetic"), mean-spirited ("spiteful"), and public-spirited ("generous to a community"), all of which reflect the original meaning of spirit, a notion much like "soul" or "personality".
Examples of spirited in a Sentence
Adjective
The team put up a spirited defense.
She's a very spirited young lady.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam Ismail, The Drive, 11 June 2026
Sacramento’s ‘official unofficial’ World Cup headquarters Throughout the World Cup’s opening match, booze and food from the Line’s commercial kitchen space — including a special pop-up from Mexican restaurant La Sabrocita — flowed freely among the spirited fans.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
The most spirited response of the day came from 12-year-old Jailene Pimentel, between bites of a Subway sandwich.
—Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Teams like Haiti, Jordan and Curacao provide pillowy cushions in otherwise mean-spirited, competitive groups.
—Filip Bondy, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for spirited
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Adjective
But this sedan is geared for comfort and never feels confident in spirited, dynamic situations.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 11 June 2026
Sacramento’s ‘official unofficial’ World Cup headquarters Throughout the World Cup’s opening match, booze and food from the Line’s commercial kitchen space — including a special pop-up from Mexican restaurant La Sabrocita — flowed freely among the spirited fans.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
The most spirited response of the day came from 12-year-old Jailene Pimentel, between bites of a Subway sandwich.
—Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Teams like Haiti, Jordan and Curacao provide pillowy cushions in otherwise mean-spirited, competitive groups.
—Filip Bondy, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirited. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ət-əd
: full of courage or energy
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
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