as in playfully
in a quick and spirited manner
now then, step lively there
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in energetic
having much high-spirited energy and movement
the lively puppy was racing around the dining room floor chasing after people's shoelaces
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vibrant
marked by much life, movement, or activity
the party was a lively affair that lasted into the small hours of the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lively
Simmone Shah, Time, 20 May 2025
The conversation was lively and funny, with the actress discussing her defining role in 1976’s Carrie and nearly missing out on Lynne Ramsay’s current Cannes title, Die, My Love.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Book Club with the Rancho Santa Fe Librarians Wednesday, May 28, from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Join us for a lively discussion at the Senior Center of American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins.
—Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2025
The evening’s festivities turned out to be lively on their own.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lively
Adjective
Insects, much like their human counterparts, are more lively in the spring and summer when the weather is warmer.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 20 May 2025
The conversation was lively and funny, with the actress discussing her defining role in 1976’s Carrie and nearly missing out on Lynne Ramsay’s current Cannes title, Die, My Love.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Book Club with the Rancho Santa Fe Librarians Wednesday, May 28, from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Join us for a lively discussion at the Senior Center of American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins.
—Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2025
The evening’s festivities turned out to be lively on their own.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lively
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lively
Adjective
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Host Jennifer Lopez opened the show with an energetic dance number to a medley that included a mashup of songs by Beyoncé, Eilish, Shaboozey, Chappell Roan and more.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
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Rod Stewart, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, closed out the evening with an energetic performance.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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The actress recently stepped out in Los Angeles wearing a vibrant orange halter-neck bathing suit from Lands’ End.—
Jennifer Chan,
People.com,
26 May 2025
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If your travel wardrobe skews neutral, this vibrant set is the perfect way to shake things up.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
The newcomer enrolled in tap classes, and trained fastidiously with associate choreographer Rachelle Rak, figuring out how an animated siren might walk and stand.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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This is her opportunity to step up into a more prominent role, and the quiet ONO is disappearing in favor of this, more animated and aggressive version.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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April Kiser, a spokesperson for Arkansas State Parks, said Memorial Day weekend is a particularly busy time for state parks.—
Amir Mahmoud,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2025
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Flights were expected to peak on Thursday with almost 54,000 scheduled, although airports should also be busy Friday, according to the FAA.—
Kristin Scharkey,
Boston Herald,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Moreover, for active and retired military members, a 10% military discount is available year-round.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
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Today, Meta employs 74,000 employees despite having 3.3 billion monthly active users.—
Kian Bakhtiari,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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Such seemingly minor biographical details are what animate L’Enchanteur, which was born in 2012 after Soull and Dynasty merged their independent labels—Alkhemi9 and BRZÉ, respectively.—
Thessaly La Force,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2025
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Users do have creative freedom — freedom to learn to draw, animate, write, score, or direct their own projects.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Those early investments in community development and youth engagement laid the foundation for what is now a thriving professional ecosystem.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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Josh Kraft will deliver a more livable and thriving city for all Bostonians.—
Chris Van Buskirk,
Boston Herald,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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The barn jacket makes for a stylish layering piece, which is perfect to bring along for cool nights around the bonfire or brisk boat rides.—
Izzy Baskette,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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Mike Dunleavy Reveals Big Offseason Roster Goal Now, after a brisk five-game defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves (mostly without their best player, Stephen Curry, who went down in Game 1 with a hamstring strain), the Warriors face an uncertain offseason.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lively. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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