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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pert
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
But on closer inspection, there are differences: This cropper is shirtless, his backside a bit too pert, and the stalks of asparagus growing from the ground are, in fact, penises.
—Max Norman David Chow Victoria Petro-Conroy, New York Times, 19 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
Don’t Look Up in a pale blue Gucci suit, standing alongside a beaming, pregnant Jennifer Lawrence, a clean-cut Leonardo Dicaprio, and a pert Meryl Streep.
—Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for pert
Emily Langer, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022
But on closer inspection, there are differences: This cropper is shirtless, his backside a bit too pert, and the stalks of asparagus growing from the ground are, in fact, penises.
—Max Norman David Chow Victoria Petro-Conroy, New York Times, 19 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
Don’t Look Up in a pale blue Gucci suit, standing alongside a beaming, pregnant Jennifer Lawrence, a clean-cut Leonardo Dicaprio, and a pert Meryl Streep.
—Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for pert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pert
Adjective
-
But smart casting, witty writing, lively directing, and artful character development have also yielded the rare superhero riff that, as Kovak puts it, finds the human underneath.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
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For 30 minutes, the producers mostly paint with a warm, lively palette, whisking fragments of IDM, ghettotech, and house into a hypnotic swirl.—
Rae-Aila Crumble,
Pitchfork,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Dozens of the cute, little cheesecakes were sitting in a cooler near the cashier in Boardwalk Pizza.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The pieces trailing off the bodice as her skirt, lined with green fur, are not cute.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Entrees at The Gibson include short rib, salmon, spicy tagliatelle with shrimp and a pork chop.—
Sarah Blaskovich,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Like most sushi restaurants in the city, there is spicy tuna and crispy rice on the menu, but this one is really good.—
Jocelyn Silver,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His interests reflect both his creativity and his energetic spirit.—
MARE Staff,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Some 35 times more energetic than any neutrino seen before, the particle might have shot out from a highly active galaxy — a blazar — or a background source of cosmogenic high-energy particles that scientists suspect pervade the cosmos.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The comments section features a piquant blend of solemnity, mortification, tastelessness, and transphobia, which accords with Moreschi’s reception in his lifetime.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Sustained support from the strings gives way to watery ripples and busy chatters, with piquant harmonic implications.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
During the trial, many of Cardi's impassioned exchanges with the Janfaza went viral due to her unfiltered, expletive-laced responses and animated expressions, including eye rolls and shrugs.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
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Tang joined Adult Swim in 2012 and contributed to the development of numerous live‑action and animated originals including Joe Pera Talks with You, Royal Crackers, The Eric Andre Show, and the WGA Award-winning Three Busy Debras.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Its blend of grapefruit, lemon, and orange packs a zesty punch, while the jasmine base note adds a delicate, soft undertone.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
22 Jan. 2026
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As part of the hotel redesign, the pool area is now a zesty terracotta and the pool tiles are a gorgeous viridian that mimics the sea below.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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
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From lanterns several stories tall and hundreds of feet long to interactive exhibits that animate and breathe fire (in the form of smoke, Lewis clarifies), the festival evokes a deep sense of awe.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
23 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pert. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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