as in vigor
active strength of body or mind
the dance company has an infectious esprit that captivates audiences
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Recent Examples of esprit
This is as it should be, given the virtuosic esprit of Thallon’s performance.
—
Houman Barekat, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
In power, their Cheka harnessed the esprit of a military-religious order of knights with the atrocious violence of a gangster hit squad.
—Time, 24 Aug. 2023
As hip-hop rose from an underground phenomenon to a global vernacular, that esprit—of being the best, the baddest, the most beautiful—never vanished.
—Outside Online, 28 Oct. 2021
Each outfit in the show is accompanied by a headpiece that features a corresponding term, such as esprit, vitality, and self-determination.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2021
The assembly has moved online because of the coronavirus, compounding the pandemic's blows to the city's economy and worldly esprit.
—Jennifer Peltz, Star Tribune, 21 Sep. 2020
Longtime residents credit the company for the city’s somewhat international esprit and a level of spoken English beyond even the already-high Finnish norm (the city’s street names—Machine Alley; Adapter Street—are more unambiguous).
—Natasha Frost, Quartz, 29 Oct. 2019
College deans wanted to establish the same esprit-de-corps within houses as could be found in an exclusive fraternity, but that required engineering.
—Carla Yanni, Smithsonian, 6 Sep. 2019
Houman Barekat, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
In power, their Cheka harnessed the esprit of a military-religious order of knights with the atrocious violence of a gangster hit squad.
—Time, 24 Aug. 2023
As hip-hop rose from an underground phenomenon to a global vernacular, that esprit—of being the best, the baddest, the most beautiful—never vanished.
—Outside Online, 28 Oct. 2021
Each outfit in the show is accompanied by a headpiece that features a corresponding term, such as esprit, vitality, and self-determination.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2021
The assembly has moved online because of the coronavirus, compounding the pandemic's blows to the city's economy and worldly esprit.
—Jennifer Peltz, Star Tribune, 21 Sep. 2020
Longtime residents credit the company for the city’s somewhat international esprit and a level of spoken English beyond even the already-high Finnish norm (the city’s street names—Machine Alley; Adapter Street—are more unambiguous).
—Natasha Frost, Quartz, 29 Oct. 2019
College deans wanted to establish the same esprit-de-corps within houses as could be found in an exclusive fraternity, but that required engineering.
—Carla Yanni, Smithsonian, 6 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for esprit
Noun
-
Paul’s youth and vigor comes with lots of risk, the work of prior revolutionaries threatened to be set back many years.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Grass seedlings are tender and need several weeks to gain vigor before frost and freezing temperatures blanket the lawn.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Traditionally, one of the key justifications for teamwork has been its psychological benefits—the energy that comes from collaboration, the reduced stress of shared responsibility, the excitement of building on each other’s ideas.—
François Candelon,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Sustainability was a running theme in many of the night’s biggest speeches, with honorees Brandon Sorbom and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson highlighting innovations in clean energy and the urgent need for climate action.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Chinese officials saw the new rules as a violation of the spirit of their September trade talks in Madrid.—
Betsy Klein,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
In the Isan region of Thailand, an ancestral spirit named Ba Yan has been worshiped by villagers for generations.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Delaware’s 1913 gamble helped spark a century of American dynamism.—
Jan Hammer,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Alex Iwobi provides dynamism in midfield while Calvin Bassey and Ola Aina man a solid defence.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Swap apple cider vinegar for red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice for a different acidic punch.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Sunday’s result required Jones’ juice behind a sturdier offensive line.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Timor-Leste’s oil and gas wells are already running dry, with oil production at the Bayu-Undan field in the Timor Sea—the country’s only producing field—ceasing production in June 2025.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Shell's results come as French oil major TotalEnergies reported a slight drop in third-quarter profit as oil and gas production growth helped to offset lower crude prices.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In Forrest’s 2013 memoir Running with Monsters, the Celebrity Rehab star shared a detailed account of the final moments of Phoenix’s life.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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That’s just the reality of life at Real Madrid, and the main reason why arguably the most glamorous coaching job in club football is also one of the most difficult to succeed in.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Esprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/esprit. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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