1
as in fiery
marked by a lively display of strong feeling
the town meeting featured a spirited debate about the proposed ban on skateboarding in the plaza downtown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lively
having much high-spirited energy and movement
a team known for its spirited and in-your-face basketball
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spirited
Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Each October, the city hosts the Haunted Happenings Festival, which draws more than a million visitors with parades, markets, and themed events that grow more spirited as Halloween night approaches.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
Been there, shrieked at that — but give the Normans credit for leaning into the mean-spirited spirit of the endeavor with some groan- and cheer-worthy fatalities, including a POV shot from the perspective of a witch’s broomstick.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
The Swamp is notoriously rowdy and spirited, but there’s still plenty for families to do in Gainesville, game day or not.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Verb
The free event brought together Philly’s top local eateries, spirited Eagles fans, and electrifying performances that had the crowd on their feet.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Each October, the city hosts the Haunted Happenings Festival, which draws more than a million visitors with parades, markets, and themed events that grow more spirited as Halloween night approaches.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
Been there, shrieked at that — but give the Normans credit for leaning into the mean-spirited spirit of the endeavor with some groan- and cheer-worthy fatalities, including a POV shot from the perspective of a witch’s broomstick.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
The Swamp is notoriously rowdy and spirited, but there’s still plenty for families to do in Gainesville, game day or not.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirited
Adjective
-
The path burrows into a kaleidoscope display formed by willows, boxelders, velvet ash and the fiery scarlet of bigtooth maples.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The explosion was the latest fiery mishap SpaceX's Starship has encountered during – and, now, before – its flight tests in 2025.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
In a TikTok video, the woman shared the moment when her dog, a cocker spaniel named Tiki, jumped up and snatched her burger right out of her hand.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
-
While living in Barcelona for four months, a man on a bike snatched my phone right out of my hand, leaving me stranded without a way to contact anyone.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Both songs appear to be passionate ballads by the two impressive vocalists, with Erivo lending her melodic riff to Dorothy’s iconic line.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Kaif Shaikh Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
At the beginning of this year, China’s AI model DeepSeek captured global attention for its low development cost and strong performance.—
,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
-
After the discovery, the European Space Agency's Planetary Defense Office quickly mobilized and captured follow-up observations from Australia, using a telescope in the Las Cumbres Observatory network.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Prince of Wales, 43, was asked whether his youngest son has a spunky personality at his latest royal engagement.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
That spunky spirit lingered into the nineties and early two-thousands.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirited. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share