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
Relevance
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
Just as its title values blunt simplicity, Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote’s screenplay sets up the film’s central murder club with pert efficiency.
—
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
On a September morning in 1914 a pert and pretty 21-year-old girl from Spokane, Washington, put her horse into what hundreds of onlookers regarded as a somewhat hazardous climb.
—Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 Mar. 2025
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
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
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
On a September morning in 1914 a pert and pretty 21-year-old girl from Spokane, Washington, put her horse into what hundreds of onlookers regarded as a somewhat hazardous climb.
—Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 Mar. 2025
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
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
-
Food and drink The lobby lounge always seems to have a coffee and cocktail menu at hand, and that’s why the area stays lively from morning to night.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Also enjoy tours of the Nectar Garden, lively puppet shows, special presentations about pollinators, family-friendly nature crafts and live music.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Right now, the comfy-cute cute walking shoes are on sale from just $55.—
Ruby McAuliffe,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
-
My favorites include breezy linen co-ords, casual-but-cute loungewear sets, and elevated athleisure styles that work for basically everything — starting at $21.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
The dinner menu spotlights the local bounty and skews Mediterranean with standouts such as the laffa (a chewier pita) with baba ganoush or a spicy carrot harissa dip and lamb sliders with mango jam and shallot pickle.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Draped over crisp salmon like in this rice bowl (mole instead of spicy mayo; radishes instead of cucs); this is a form of recipe development, sewing together patches into a colorful quilt.—
Emma Laperruque,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Platini had star quality, but Infantino was an energetic administrator with a noticeable gift for languages.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
We were joined by İsmet Öztanık, the energetic third-generation hotelier behind the Avantgarde Refined brand, which also includes a sister Bodrum property alongside the family’s larger Avantgarde Collection portfolio.—
Anya von Bremzen,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
The piquant dish is lacquered with strawberry-guajillo barbecue sauce, while a punchy coleslaw with Fresno chile vinaigrette rounds things out.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
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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
Adjective
-
In recent years, Hollywood decided adult comedies were not good bets in movie theaters, and instead focused heavily on superheroes and animated films.—
Rodney Ho,
AJC.com,
22 May 2026
-
Toons boom across the Croisette this year, with colorful features opening Critics’ Week, closing Directors’ Fortnight, and appearing across nearly every section — further cementing Cannes’ status as a premier launchpad for animated cinema.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Highlights included a fresh, light pea soup; a buttery carrot risotto; tender filets of ostrich, lamb and venison; and a zesty lemon posset.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Make sure to get some light char on the avocados, tomatoes, scallions, and jalapeño—just enough to deepen their inherent sweetness and impart a smoky nuance to the otherwise bright and zesty dip.—
Hana Asbrink,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Woe unto those who fail to entertain, animate or amuse.—
Mark Barabak,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
-
Zugunruhe is the itinerant desire of any animate being to keep moving and growing.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pert. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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