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
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 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
-
Family discussions will be lively.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
By night, Ora’s lemon-yellow booths and terrazzo-crazy paving become a lively setting for Greco-Italian chef Ettore Botrini’s accessible but accomplished menu.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Best Amazon Shoes and Accessories Deals Round out your spring wardrobe with supportive shoes, cute bags, and fun accessories from brands like Brooks, Kate Spade, and Kendra Scott.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
-
In the middle of the garden is a seating area with simple but cute second-hand furniture and a three-tier stone fountain from Backyard X-Scapes on Sorrento Valley Road.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The minibar brimmed with complimentary sodas, addictively spicy small-batch pimento cheese Lowcountry Kettle Chips, and lemon sugar cookies from Charleston’s Own.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
-
If the kids are pushing for a Big Mac or Chick-fil-A spicy deluxe chicken sandwich, but the budget can’t support it, there’s a hack for that.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Outside of work, Porter loves to spend time with his wife and very energetic 2 year old son.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Smith was bubbly and energetic, loved by her family and friends at Highland Park Academy, Maddox said.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Conductors often fetishize the opening bars of this opera, their squirmy alternation of silence and piquant dissonance.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
-
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
-
Google suggests using the AI tools in Vids to create animated party flyers, business sizzle reels, or a video greeting card.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Pickled shrimp, fresh veggies, tender herbs, and a zesty lemon dressing ensure this pasta salad is anything but boring.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Start your day with this zesty take on granola.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Contending visions of the attorney general’s job Bondi’s tenure illustrates the conflicting visions of what an attorney general should do that animate today’s American politics.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Pert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pert. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
