sprightly

spright·ly

adjective \-lē\

spright·li·erspright·li·est

Definition of SPRIGHTLY

1

: marked by a gay lightness and vivacity : spirited <a sprightly musical>

2

: having a distinctively piquant taste : zesty <a sprightly salsa>

— spright·li·ness noun

— sprightly adverb

Examples of SPRIGHTLY

1. <a sprightly child who often claims to be too tired to move when it's time to do chores>

Origin of SPRIGHTLY

obsolete spright (sprite), alteration of sprite

First Known Use: 1596

Related to SPRIGHTLY

Synonyms

active, airy, animate, animated, bouncing, brisk, energetic, frisky, gay, jaunty, jazzy, kinetic, mettlesome, peppy, perky, pert, pizzazzy (or pizazzy), racy, snappy, spanking, sparky, spirited, lively, springy, vital, vivacious, zippy

Antonyms

dead, inactive, inanimate, lackadaisical, languid, languishing, languorous, leaden, lifeless, limp, listless, spiritless, vapid

Related Words

dapper, dashing, spiffy; agog, alert, awake, open-eyed, up, wide-awake; agile, nimble, spry; bright, buoyant, cheerful, chipper, chirpy, chirrupy, effervescent, sparkly, upbeat; eager, enthusiastic, keen; frolicsome, impish, pixieish, playful; boisterous, bubbly, ebullient, exuberant, high-spirited; high-strung, nervous, skittish

Near Antonyms

indolent, lazy, unambitious; inert, lethargic, sleepy, sluggish, tired, torpid, weary; apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, stolid; boring, dull, irksome, tedious

See Synonym Discussion at lively

Rhymes with SPRIGHTLY

brightly, knightly, lightly, nightly, rightly, sightly, slightly, tightly, tritely, whitely