spunky

1 of 2

adjective

spunkier; spunkiest
Synonyms of spunky
: full of spunk : spirited
spunkily adverb
spunkiness noun

spunkiness

2 of 2

noun

spunk·​i·​ness -kēnə̇s How to pronounce spunkiness (audio)
-kin-
plural -es
: the quality or state of being spunky

Examples of spunky in a Sentence

Adjective a spunky determination to make the best of a bad situation
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Nothing freshens up a spunky short haircut like fringe. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 June 2026 From the annals of cooking past, sauce jouvert, spunky with marjoram, red wine vinegar, both walnuts and hazelnuts, and breadcrumbs, is raised from the annals of recipe history to be draped over pretty much any kind of vegetable. Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 8 June 2026 The news of the former couple’s split comes about Abdalla became an overnight household name as the spunky and Jennifer Lopez-loving Allie Hayes in the Prime Video series. Lara Walsh, InStyle, 2 June 2026 Field plays Tova Sullivan, a widowed, allegedly elderly woman who, because she is inhabited by the still-spunky actress, never quite seems elderly enough. Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for spunky

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spunky was in 1786

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spunky. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

spunky

adjective
spunkier; spunkiest
: full of spunk : spirited
spunkily adverb
spunkiness noun

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