1
as in pistol
a very energetic person
the babysitter will have her hands full with those two little live wires
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in powerhouse
an ambitious person who eagerly goes after what is desired
that new reporter on the police beat is a real live wire
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of live wire
That'd essentially be a live wire, said Mark Goldstein, a Wisconsin attorney for Goldstein Law Group S.C., which specializes in employment and corporate law.
—
Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Critics after the screening agreed that when given a character perfectly tailored to his strengths (cocky sincerity, charismatic twerpiness), Timmy is a live wire.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Harry is suing the tabloid's publisher, Associated Newspapers, on allegations that include phone hacking and live wire tapping of calls.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live wire
Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Critics after the screening agreed that when given a character perfectly tailored to his strengths (cocky sincerity, charismatic twerpiness), Timmy is a live wire.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Harry is suing the tabloid's publisher, Associated Newspapers, on allegations that include phone hacking and live wire tapping of calls.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live wire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for live wire
Noun
-
Authorities said Diagne used both a pistol and a rifle during the attack.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Police in Austin shot and killed the gunman, who used a pistol and a rifle to carry out the attack, police said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And this powerhouse formula is just $16 at Amazon.—
Claire West,
Parents,
28 Feb. 2026
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The key to this anti-aging powerhouse in a jar is NCEF.—
Cathy Nelson,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pinning down when — and how — the moon’s dynamo operated offers clues about how its core cooled, how its mantle evolved, and why its geologic activity faded.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Cancer is personal for pop-music vocal dynamo Pink, whose Vietnam War veteran father died of the disease in 2021.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Live wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/live%20wire. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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