LIVE WIRES Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

live wires

noun

plural of live wire

as in pistols

a very energetic person the babysitter will have her hands full with those two little live wires

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as in powerhouses

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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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of live wires Response efforts were slowed as debris blocked roads and live wires created hazardous conditions. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 July 2026 Trees and branches were taken out, and live wires went down. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026 One of the brothers used a carbon-fibre pole while attempting to get the bird down and touched the live wires on the power line, killing him instantly. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for live wires

Noun

In total, Casimir purchased at least 108 firearms from federally licensed weapons stores and up to 35 firearms from an unidentified person in Florida, including rifles, pistols and shotguns of various makes and models, according to prosecutors.

— Jay Weaver August 4, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026
In 2018, a Canadian man pleaded guilty to smuggling guns into Canada via the library by collecting bags of pistols stashed inside the bathroom by his American partners.

— Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Definition of pistols

Noun

Corporate leaders possess invaluable skills—M&A, HR, digital marketing—to modernize these often-outdated businesses, transforming local shops into regional powerhouses.

— Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
The news comes as powerhouses like David Zwirner and Pace, alongside a cohort of small and midsize galleries, shutter locations and cut staff and artists to contend with a turbulent art market.

— News Desk, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of powerhouses

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live wire

live wires

live with

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“Live wires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/live%20wires. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of live wires

noun

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