1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

high-spirited

adjective

ˈhī-ˈspir-ə-təd How to pronounce high-spirited (audio)
Definition of high-spiritednext
1
as in joyful
joyously unrestrained a high-spirited crowd loudly cheering the basketball team on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spirited
marked by a lively display of strong feeling the band struck up a high-spirited march as the President's motorcade approached

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-spirited
  1. joyful
  2. spirited
  3. exuberant
  4. fiery
  5. lively
  6. spunky
  7. vivacious
  8. passionate
Adjective
  • Think ruffles, shoulders, polka dots, flowers, glamour, flowers and plenty of joyful clothes and accessories spanning lifestyle and occasionwear.
    — Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • And no tearful, cinematic gateside farewells or joyful welcomes.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of joyful
Adjective
  • For the ninth year, NewFest is thrilled to collaborate with NYC Public Schools and GLAAD on a spirited shorts program curated for LGBTQ+ teens.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026
  • With unwavering resolve, Salvador rallies an eclectic band of misfit street kids, led by the spirited Belén, to defy fate and protect Carmen.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of spirited
Adjective
  • Admirers say his exuberant, body-conscious costumes will continue to shape pop culture and performance style for generations.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Bob Mackie, the legendary fashion designer whose exuberant style defined Hollywood glamour for decades, died Monday.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of exuberant
Adjective
  • Dewan tore up the ballroom with a fiery tango with her pro, three-time winner Val Chmerkovskiy.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2026
  • It will then be loaded up with trash and sent down to a fiery death in Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of fiery
Adjective
  • Hals was lively and irreverent; Rembrandt dealt with subjects altogether more weighty.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The playful cherry design introduces a pop of color that contrasts beautifully with the deep glittery brown, adding a whimsical flair that keeps the overall look fresh and lively.
    — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Susan was a spunky fan favorite on the inaugural Golden Bachelor season.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The mop-haired actor plays Joey, a spunky boy onboard who bonds with Maddie over having absent parents in the military.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of spunky
Adjective
  • This might read as sickly; regardless, her figures are rarely relaxed, and instead vivacious and embattled.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • His charming, vivacious ways created a safe space to be their free-spirited selves.
    — PJ Green September 11, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of vivacious
Adjective
  • That’s why the defense of Taylor from inside these walls is so passionate among those who know him.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Hadder is passionate about supporting Boise’s local raptor population, and a student of the region’s history in bringing back birds of prey.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of passionate
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.

Browse Nearby Words

high-speed
high-spirited
high-spiritedly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“High-spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-spirited. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All