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
  • As in much of Europe, tourism is a sensitive subject, so knowing the unwritten rules (and even a bit of the local language, Euskera) will help avoid misunderstandings and unlock the city’s joyful, trademark love of the table.
    — Marti Buckley, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Homecoming’s joyful coming-of-age story jettisons some of the old clichés (no one needed to see Uncle Ben’s death again) while still maintaining the personal elements that make Spidey so moving.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of joyful
Adjective
  • Hilton rose to fame as a popular, and notorious, gossip blogger in the 2000s, which garnered both millions of readers as well as pushback from some celebrities who felt his coverage was mean-spirited.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Robust cold-brew espresso is blended with a spirited kick of Fernie's Funnel Cake Cream Cocktail™, creating layers of deep coffee flavors and hints of vanilla.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of spirited
Adjective
  • Food does matter in Tony, especially in the exuberant sequence where Tony and the chef and half the town take advantage of a run of striped bass and afterward eat some fish cooked on a fire on the beach.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In other words, exuberant call buying is driving the VIX higher.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of exuberant
Adjective
  • One person was killed in a fiery three-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck on Wednesday in far northwest suburban Genoa Township.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Embattled Central Florida Congressman Cory Mills faced off in a fiery primary debate with three fellow Republicans Wednesday evening, in which the political issues were largely overshadowed by his many controversies.
    — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of fiery
Adjective
  • Add a striking focal point by nestling a statue fountain between groups of colorful flowers or lively foliage.
    — Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The smaller footprint here makes the car much livelier, and the acceleration feels never-ending.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • The group consists of levelheaded leader Blossom, sweet-natured Bubbles, and spunky Buttercup.
    — Oliver Gettell, Entertainment Weekly, 26 July 2026
  • As for her birth story, Lockwood says her smart and spunky 5-year-old daughter knows it all.
    — Brian Brant, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
Definition of spunky
Adjective
  • Astrologically, the sun is home in vivacious Leo, allowing for its warmth, charisma and creative expression to flow effortlessly.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
  • The First Omen and Servant star Free leads the ensemble as Isabel Archer, a vivacious New World ingénue who leaves America for Old World Europe, keen to experience all that life has to offer.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 July 2026
Definition of vivacious
Adjective
  • Demián is a tireless advocate for immigrants and Danny is a passionate champion of Latino voices and stories.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The twelve-time Olympic medalist is passionate about making sure that people like her are not kept out of the pool because of their condition.
    — Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 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
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Cite this Entry

“High-spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-spirited. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on high-spirited

Nglish: Translation of high-spirited for Spanish Speakers

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