1
as in lively
having much high-spirited energy and movement
a pert girl who is a member of the cheerleading squad
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
a pert retort that irritated the teacher
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in spicy
sharp and pleasantly stimulating to the mind or senses
a pert suggestion for a truly original marketing campaign
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pert
His left arm is akimbo and his right arm is raised, in a pert military salute, to his forehead.
—
Benjamin Moser, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024
Sales were boosted by a national prime-time television ad campaign in which a disorganized young man bumps into a pert young woman at the library, knocking her Trapper to the floor.
—Emily Langer, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022
The airport is three miles away, and the central shopping and dining district is contained within a pert five-block grid.
—Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2022
Plenty sweet, to be sure, but certainly not cloying, and despite the grapes’ long hang time the flavors are perfectly fresh — pert and bright, as opposed to the stewy-fruit notes that often burden late-harvest wines.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 July 2019
See All Example Sentences for pert
Benjamin Moser, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024
Sales were boosted by a national prime-time television ad campaign in which a disorganized young man bumps into a pert young woman at the library, knocking her Trapper to the floor.
—Emily Langer, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022
The airport is three miles away, and the central shopping and dining district is contained within a pert five-block grid.
—Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2022
Plenty sweet, to be sure, but certainly not cloying, and despite the grapes’ long hang time the flavors are perfectly fresh — pert and bright, as opposed to the stewy-fruit notes that often burden late-harvest wines.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 July 2019
See All Example Sentences for pert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pert
Adjective
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Although Brixx operates a mix of corporate and franchised locations, its takeover of that space would make the lakefront livelier by putting patrons on the patio at night.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
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Fredericksburg still wears its German heritage on its sleeve, evident throughout Main Street architecture and a lively cluster of biergartens and long-running seasonal festivals.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Marvin’s a cute little mushroom living in a cozy home beneath a mighty cedar tree.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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Dry off and look cute at the same time with Katydid beach or gym towels.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The no-frills cuisine is defined by high-quality ingredients, fresh-from-the-ocean seafood, and unusually spicy dishes—by Italian standards, anyway.—
Jenna Curcio,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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The menu also includes 6-piece nuggets (crispy or spicy) and 3-piece tenders, available separately.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The energetic patrons witnessed a workman-like effort.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Mar. 2026
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But this was another contest that illustrated the growing familiarity with the manager’s system, as Kostas Mavropanos shone in the middle of a combative back three, while Mateus Fernandes brought defensive tenacity behind an energetic front three.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Conductors often fetishize the opening bars of this opera, their squirmy alternation of silence and piquant dissonance.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
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Red cabbage, carrots and Tuscan kale form the base, bound together with a piquant balsamic-Dijon vinaigrette.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The popularity of the cards led to the creation of a toy line, which then spurred animated TV specials and, eventually, a TV series.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
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The animated film about a teenager who becomes a beaver to save her animal friends from a freeway construction project pulled in $88 million globally, including $46 million in North America.—
G. Allen Johnson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Or do as the French do–dip the Artichoke leaves into a zesty aioli and scrape the savory pulp with your teeth.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2026
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With spring on the horizon, Sprite is introducing a zesty new flavor with hints of mango.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The self is made of memories but can also shape them — an animate sculpture able to rework its own clay.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
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The same traits—sloppy reasoning but a desire for collective punishment—animate other immigration-policy announcements.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pert. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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