spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ə-təd 
: full of energy, animation, or courage
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
spiritedness
noun
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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
The team put up a spirited defense.
She's a very spirited young lady.
Recent Examples on the Web
Perhaps the Founding Fathers would be proud of that spirited approach.
—
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
Channeling his inner Jameson, a spirited Simmons then motioned for Spider-Man to get tossed from the game.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Emilia—led by Greg Vernick, the James Beard Award–winning chef behind Vernick Food & Drink and Vernick Fish at the Four Seasons—is a trattoria-spirited Italian spot where chef de cuisine Meri Medoway oversees a menu of handmade, seasonal pastas.
—Regan Stephens, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 May 2026
As De Gaulle and Bonnier de La Chapelle, respectively, actors Simon Abkarian and Florian Lesieur give spirited and physical performances, cleverly juxtaposing the dissimilar qualities of the two central figures of the story who otherwise share ideals.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spirited
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Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
Channeling his inner Jameson, a spirited Simmons then motioned for Spider-Man to get tossed from the game.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Emilia—led by Greg Vernick, the James Beard Award–winning chef behind Vernick Food & Drink and Vernick Fish at the Four Seasons—is a trattoria-spirited Italian spot where chef de cuisine Meri Medoway oversees a menu of handmade, seasonal pastas.
—Regan Stephens, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 May 2026
As De Gaulle and Bonnier de La Chapelle, respectively, actors Simon Abkarian and Florian Lesieur give spirited and physical performances, cleverly juxtaposing the dissimilar qualities of the two central figures of the story who otherwise share ideals.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 25 May 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 1 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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