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
This, along with the character’s hardened esprit of the streets, lofts her off the page: Even a future movie star is having to make money.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 1 June 2020
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
This, along with the character’s hardened esprit of the streets, lofts her off the page: Even a future movie star is having to make money.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 1 June 2020
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
-
Severe and repeated cases of scale can cause branches to die and reduce a tree’s overall vigor.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
-
As Zidler, Petkoff portrays with vigor a self-serving weasel, albeit with a heart.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 June 2025
Noun
-
Low energy is also frequently reported among folks with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—a disorder that causes hormonal imbalances, irregular periods, and other symptoms like excessive hair growth and acne.—
Julia Ries,
SELF,
23 June 2025
-
Any final decision to close the waterway rests with the country's national security council, and its possibility has raised the specter of higher energy prices and aggravated geopolitical tensions, with Washington calling upon Beijing to prevent the strait's closure.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
My ever-mutable container, my compact symmetrical spirit vehicle, nothing wasted, nothing lacking, like a dressmaker’s dummy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
-
The supernatural thriller sees a woman return from death as a vindictive spirit to torment her adulterous husband.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
There is an immediate question over the formation Al Hilal will deploy against Real Madrid; much of their success under Jesus, particularly in attack, was crafted around a fluid 4-3-3 system that benefited from the dynamism of wingers Malcom and beloved club captain Salem Al-Dawsari.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
While the parallels drawn (sometimes by the artist himself) between him and 2Pac are usually semiotic, here Wayne channels what is perhaps Pac’s signature skill: his capacity to bludgeon his way through a heavy beat while retaining the dynamism and bend in his voice.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
Read on to learn when to skip the lemon juice and what to use instead.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
26 June 2025
-
Minimal skin contact — juice soaks with skins for a few hours, gaining slightly deeper color and flavor than direct press.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
Iran approved the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas route.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
-
Buc-ee’s has pitched building 120 gas pumps and 12 charging stations for electric vehicles on the property.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
Thus, scientists are looking at its life span, possible numbers in the ocean and predators.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2025
-
Burney, a Baltimore native who’s about to head out on an East Coast book tour, succeeds at crafting a work that’s as much a poignant reflection on his life as an ethnomusical study.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Esprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/esprit. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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