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".

Synonyms of spirited

• fiery
• passionate
• spunky
• brisk
• fervent
• high-spirited

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

If the goal is to trigger unruly public unrest to justify presidential invocation of the insurrection act as some charge, why not visit the spirited crowds at WWE instead. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026

Suffice it to say our dinners were high-spirited affairs. —Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026

One night after the Texas men let one get away in a home loss to the men from College Station, the ladies turned the tables and got things back on track before a spirited Moody crowd. —Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 20 Jan. 2026

The talents are seen moving through rooftops, staircases and open courtyards before encountering a white horse — a symbolic figure embodying independence, vitality and the spirited energy associated with the zodiac sign of the horse. —Denni Hu, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing spirited

• high-spirited
• low-spirited
• mean-spirited
• poor-spirited
• public-spirited

Rhymes for spirited

• dispirited

Kids Definition

spirited

adjective

spir·​it·​ed ˈspir-ət-əd 

: full of courage or energy

a spirited discussion

spiritedly adverb