exuberant

adjective ex·u·ber·ant \ ig-ˈzü-b(ə-)rənt \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of exuberant

1 a : joyously unrestrained and enthusiastic

exuberant praise

an exuberant personality

b : unrestrained or elaborate especially in style : flamboyant

exuberant architecture

2 : produced in extreme abundance : plentiful

exuberant foliage and vegetation

3 : extreme or excessive in degree, size, or extent

exuberant prosperity

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exuberantly

adverb

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Examples of exuberant in a Sentence

Steven Spielberg's career has been famously schizoid. On the one hand, he has made films borne aloft by exuberant juvenility (the Indiana Jones pictures, Jurassic Park, and so forth); on the other hand, he has made mature films of serious intent (The Color Purple, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan). And … there is also a third hand: he has combined those two types, most notably in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, in which he transmuted a fascinating science fiction film into near-theology. —Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic, 23 July 2001
Here we are at a jousting tournament in medieval England, and as the armored knights charge each other on horseback the exuberant crowd sings along to the old Queen heavy-metal anthem "We Will Rock You." And does the wave! —David Ansen, Newsweek, 14 May 2001
A few years ago, I learned to expect that at the end of a linguistics class that I was teaching, as I consulted with a few students before we vacated the room, the air would suddenly be lacerated by fat bass tracks and streams of exuberant invective. Tupac, as they say, was in the house. The class that was about to begin was an elective called "The Poetry of Tupac Shakur." —John McWhorter, New Republic, 22 Oct. 2001
They're the hardwood wunderkinds who think NEXT is now: the NBA's teen set. And like puppies, they're winningly exuberant (if not housebroken). Well, maybe not so "winning." —ESPN, 25 Dec. 2000
His exuberant personality makes him fun to be around.
exuberant crowds rushed to greet the returning national champions in collegiate basketball

Recent Examples of exuberant from the Web

Worn by the likes of former First Lady Michelle Obama, the brand is known for its exuberant prints and colors inspired by Kenyan landscapes.

— jessica andrews, Teen Vogue, "ASOS Made in Kenya Collection Is the Definition of Cultural Appreciation," 18 Apr. 2018
Celta Vigo immediately fired back with the exuberant crowd behind them, as La Liga's leading Spanish marksman Iago Aspas stung the gloves of Marc-André ter Stegen, carving open the Barcelona defense with ease.

— SI.com, "WATCH: Barcelona Rests Stars, Extends Unbeaten League Run to 40 in Draw vs. Celta Vigo," 17 Apr. 2018
My daughter gave it to me in 2001, when Jones, our large, exuberant Sheltie, died at age 12.

— beth thames, AL.com, "Long-lost book revives memories of a faithful friend," 12 Apr. 2018
The December footage prompted some debate in Israel over the military’s open-fire regulations, the reaction of the exuberant soldiers and the military’s preliminary response.

— isabel kershner, New York Times, "Israel Faults Soldiers Who Filmed and Cheered Shooting of Palestinian," 10 Apr. 2018
Here's the backstory of each property: Although the four-level Art Deco house was built eight decades after the style's American heyday, architectural and design features mirror the exuberant post-WWI era, inside and out.

— janet eastman, OregonLive.com, "Gardenburger founder's fabled Art Deco house sells; rent it on AirBnB (photos)," 9 Apr. 2018
Scaglione churned the momentum to a giddy, exuberant rush of an ending that brought the audience to their feet.

— christian hertzog, sandiegouniontribune.com, "A game of musical chairs and an impressive debut: Scaglione stellar with the San Diego Symphony," 7 Apr. 2018
Earlier in the tournament, exuberant voting by a two IP addresses had delivered hundreds of votes to Hoppy’s cause (other breweries had similar but not as fervent support) but in recent rounds this type of voting was eliminated.

— nathaniel levine, sacbee, "Vote today for our Malt Madness beer bracket champion," 30 Mar. 2018
The rhythm of drums backing an exuberant chorus of singers in a Central African beat that sets parishioners swaying in their seats, dancing in the aisles, at a West Side church.

— brian albrecht, cleveland.com, "Congolese part of new tapestry of immigration to Cleveland," 1 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exuberant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of exuberant

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin exuberant-, exuberans, present participle of exuberare to be abundant, from ex- + uber fruitful, from uber udder — more at udder

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First Known Use: 15th century

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