as in lively
having much high-spirited energy and movement
a sprightly child who often claims to be too tired to move when it's time to do chores
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in playfully
in a quick and spirited manner
every morning the elderly couple sprightly sets out on a walk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sprightly
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
Plus, nearby, do check out the Nice Pam Hotel as well—a more youthful and modern offering designed in sprightly shades of pastels.
—Monica Mendal, Vogue, 8 June 2025
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprightly
Adjective
Eventually, the movement realized that using the old instruments in sprightly, imaginative and contemporary ways instead made the music sound newly vital, and even more so when the staging was startlingly up to date.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
Plus, nearby, do check out the Nice Pam Hotel as well—a more youthful and modern offering designed in sprightly shades of pastels.
—Monica Mendal, Vogue, 8 June 2025
Adverb
Likewise, the airy comedy (boosted by Thomas Newman’s sprightly if familiar-sounding score) insists on the seeming incongruity between the film’s lovely setting and its darker subject matter.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprightly
Adjective
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With eight children in total, the Baldwin family blends Hollywood legacy with a lively, modern-day parenting journey.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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The wave of debuts was of course the conversation of the week, bringing a sense of buzz and freshness that made Paris feel lively and full of energy.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The 16-track project finds Soulja experimenting with fresh sounds — from that West Coast bass to more energetic beats — all while staying true to the essence that built his legacy.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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For however long Warner is out, the 49ers will lose not only a Defensive Player of the Year candidate but also the most vocal and most energetic player in the locker room.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The tour news was first shared with select media and fans at a top-secret private event Sunday night at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland that included a viewing of Rush’s induction speeches and performance and ended with a loose, animated interview with Lee and Lifeson.—
Annie Zaleski,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
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The director and father of two made that concern a driving principle of his new film, Scarlet, a fantastical animated adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet that opens at New York Film Festival next week.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The staff is brisk, used to locals ordering with a shorthand as precise as Philly cheesesteak lingo, and the souvlaki itself is unlike anywhere else in Athens—simple, spicy, smoky, and closer to kebab than the standard style.—
Katherine Whittaker,
Saveur,
9 Oct. 2025
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On these brisk, fall days, the train travels over rivers, across bridges, and through tunnels–passing by viewpoints of the fiery leaves of the maple trees, oak trees, and river birches.—
Acacia Gabriel,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Johnson, who spent the past year-plus on Miami’s practice squad, will give the Dolphins a fifth available cornerback if Storm Duck isn’t active.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
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The Phillips 66 refinery will start shutting down this month and end active fuel production at the end of 2025, the company said.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In his work, everything is animate, everything has a soul, everything has a story.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
8 Oct. 2025
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In his account of an Essex owl evening, all senses seem to merge, and all distinction between animate and inanimate disappears.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sprightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprightly. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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