1
as in pistol
a very energetic person
the babysitter will have her hands full with those two little live wires
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in powerhouse
an ambitious person who eagerly goes after what is desired
that new reporter on the police beat is a real live wire
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of live wire
That'd essentially be a live wire, said Mark Goldstein, a Wisconsin attorney for Goldstein Law Group S.C., which specializes in employment and corporate law.
—
Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Critics after the screening agreed that when given a character perfectly tailored to his strengths (cocky sincerity, charismatic twerpiness), Timmy is a live wire.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Harry is suing the tabloid's publisher, Associated Newspapers, on allegations that include phone hacking and live wire tapping of calls.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live wire
Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Critics after the screening agreed that when given a character perfectly tailored to his strengths (cocky sincerity, charismatic twerpiness), Timmy is a live wire.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Harry is suing the tabloid's publisher, Associated Newspapers, on allegations that include phone hacking and live wire tapping of calls.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live wire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for live wire
Noun
-
Presumably that meant plastic pistols were nonstarters.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
One video appears to show a Border Patrol officer removing a pistol from Pretti’s waistband after he had been pinned to the ground by other agents.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Taylor Swift enters the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Vice President JD Vance makes a major life announcement, and Indiana completes its transformation from basketball school to football powerhouse.—
Melinda Yao,
NBC news,
24 Jan. 2026
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Hagerty’s reward for a second semifinal trip is a matchup against Florida’s wrestling powerhouse, South Dade, which defeated South Plantation 53-24.—
Steve Gorches,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Unfortunately for him, Cooper is a 16-year-old awards-circuit dynamo who has this award pretty much locked down.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
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The 4-foot-7 dynamo needed a lift to ascend to the top of the podium.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Live wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/live%20wire. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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