spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ə-təd 
: full of energy, animation, or courage
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
spiritedness
noun
Did you know?
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
Up in a second-deck corner of the GEODIS Park, in Section 233, a group of about 60 spirited Inter Miami La Familia supporters chanted and jumped up and down as Messi and his teammates took the field.
—
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
The Hornets succumbed to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 122-105, upping their losing streak to three games on the heels of a trio of spirited outings to begin the 2025-26 campaign.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Our entire staff was enamored with the crunchy, buttery, bite-sized cookies, and soon our office chat was buzzing with a spirited debate about the best flavor.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Sometimes the living room was converted from a study to a meeting room, and silence gave way to conversation, spirited debate, and laughter.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
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Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
The Hornets succumbed to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 122-105, upping their losing streak to three games on the heels of a trio of spirited outings to begin the 2025-26 campaign.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Our entire staff was enamored with the crunchy, buttery, bite-sized cookies, and soon our office chat was buzzing with a spirited debate about the best flavor.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Sometimes the living room was converted from a study to a meeting room, and silence gave way to conversation, spirited debate, and laughter.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirited. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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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