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

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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
  • Just days after Dolly Parton's death, Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll and niece Jada Star helped Grand Ole Opry fans say goodbye in a joyful farewell.
    — Chris Parton, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The Hutt Twins, however, don’t exactly have a joyful family reunion in mind for Rotta.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of joyful
Adjective
  • In 1967, the prominent computer scientists Allen Newell, Alan Perlis, and Herbert Simon staked out their position in a spirited letter to the editor in the journal Science.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Set in a small Texas town, the film follows Parton as the spirited owner of a famous local establishment and Reynolds as the sheriff determined to defend it from public scrutiny.
    — Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of spirited
Adjective
  • The choreography of the dozen-plus players on the stage is exuberant, playful and brilliantly timed, creating moments that draw both applause and gasps of joy from the crowd.
    — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • How about an exuberant and hilarious turn as Long John Silver with a cast of Muppets?
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of exuberant
Adjective
  • Jeffries, a cautious Brooklynite poised to become speaker, must juggle fiery progressives, restive moderates and backlash over a Jared Kushner meeting while preaching Pelosi-style discipline and teamwork.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The Clippers released a fiery statement slamming the findings, though the team has little recourse to appeal.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fiery
Adjective
  • Stop into Mercat Municipal, a lively indoor market where locals shop for fresh produce, meat, and fish.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The crowd outside the courthouse was liveliest in late August, when dozens of women wearing pink rallied to show support for Clancy and raise awareness about postpartum mental health, the central pillar of Clancy’s defense.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • 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
  • In many ways, this movie set the template for the modern action-comedy blockbuster, but few of its many imitators have come close to matching the spunky edginess and swooning romantic intrigue of the original trend-setter.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of spunky
Adjective
  • And thanks to her puppeteer Frank Oz, who performed the character from early in her history until the beginning of the aughts, her highly romantic and vivacious personality came to life.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Dolly was colorful and vivacious and unapologetic, and had more than a bit of drag queen in her.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of vivacious
Adjective
  • Over the last six months of development, Carla has certainly proved to be a passionate writer and producer.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Three decades removed, Westwood is still a cinematic ghost town that passionate film lovers are trying to revive.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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