moxie

noun

mox·ie ˈmäk-sē

Synonyms of moxie next

: energy, pep

woke up full of moxie

: courage, determination

it takes … moxie to pull up roots and go to a land where the culture and probably the language are totally foreign—

M. J. McClary

: know-how

was impressed with his musical moxie and hired him as a solo

Did you know?

"Hot roasted peanuts! Fresh popcorn! Ice-cold Moxie!" You might have heard such a snack vendor's cry at a baseball game—if you attended it in the early 1900s. In its heyday, some claim that the soft drink named Moxie outsold Coca-Cola. The beverage was a favorite of American writer E. B. White, who wrote, "Moxie contains gentian root, which is the path to the good life. This was known in the second century before Christ and is a boon to me today." In quick time, moxie had become a slang term for nerve and verve, perhaps because some people thought the drink was a tonic that could cure virtually any ill and bring vim back to even the most lethargic individual.

Example Sentences

He showed a lot of moxie in questioning the policy. it was old-fashioned military moxie that got medical supplies to the disaster site in record time

Recent Examples on the Web Rookie guard Malaki Branham added 14 points for the Spurs, while Romeo Langford — starting in Vassell’s spot for the time being — supplied 15 points and a dose of defensive moxie in the second half. —

Jeff Mcdonald, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Jan. 2023 Starting her career in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Anitta became a Brazilian superstar through a potent mix of moxie and undeniably catchy music. —

Myles Tanzer, WSJ, 25 Oct. 2022 Williams’ moxie and presence rallied the Sooners, who needed every one of his 300 total yards to escape Dallas with a 55-48 win. —

Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2022 Oregon State showed some moxie coming out of halftime. —

oregonlive, 7 Nov. 2022 Young showed plenty of moxie for a 24-year-old PGA Tour rookie in only his 12th start on the PGA Tour. —

Dallas News, 19 Feb. 2022 Hashtags such as #DisabledAndCute, #WheelsNoHeels, and #DisabledFashion expressed their blatant moxie. —

Ben Mattlin, Time, 8 Dec. 2022 White threw for 369 yards and played with a lot of moxie late in the game. —

Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Dec. 2022 At one point, Opportunity literally digs its own seeming grave; at another, Spirit shows its moxie by avoiding a disastrous collision with only centimeters to spare. —

K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2022 See More

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