1
as in fiery
marked by a lively display of strong feeling
the town meeting featured a spirited debate about the proposed ban on skateboarding in the plaza downtown
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lively
having much high-spirited energy and movement
a team known for its spirited and in-your-face basketball
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spirited
Steve Buckley, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Siblings Dorem and Nika Prevc's jumps secured a gold medal for Slovenia and held off a spirited challenge from Norway.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
This boozy dessert is guaranteed to deliver a spirited holiday.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Maher has been hosting the loose and spirited one-on-one interview show for Tubi, in addition to his panel series for HBO, Real Time with Bill Maher.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Adjective
The day may come when Vladyslav Heraskevych is remembered only for taking a spirited, emotional — indeed, stubborn — stand at the 2026 Winter Olympics … accompanied by an oh-by-the-way that he was disqualified for doing so.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Siblings Dorem and Nika Prevc's jumps secured a gold medal for Slovenia and held off a spirited challenge from Norway.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
This boozy dessert is guaranteed to deliver a spirited holiday.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Maher has been hosting the loose and spirited one-on-one interview show for Tubi, in addition to his panel series for HBO, Real Time with Bill Maher.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirited
Adjective
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The fiery meeting at the South Shore Cultural Center began with local Ald.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
House Democrats clashed with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday during a fiery hearing on Capitol Hill that devolved into shouting matches and throwing sharp elbows.—
Fritz Farrow,
ABC News,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Foot traffic at restaurants, shops and mosques sharply declined, turning once-lively economic and social hubs into ghost towns, and threatening to cripple the livelihood of an entire community.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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The lively City Hall gala was Boston’s third official celebration since the city formally recognized the day as a holiday in 2023, and attendees marked the occasion with a range of artistic showcases and performances.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Then Lewis snatched the inbound pass to get possession and UConn fouled up three.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
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Another pro-billionaire demonstrator eventually snatched the sign back.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rosa Martínez, Margarito’s sister, remembered him as someone who was always passionate about his work and an inspiration.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
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Kepner is passionate about accountability and service journalism and encourages anyone to reach out to her to tell their story or share a tip.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When the energetic Sun clashes with unpredictable Uranus, plans are likely to wobble, pushing us to adapt expectations and stretch comfort zones.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
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Good side gigs for these energetic individuals?—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Without the fear of being captured mid-tear or mid-questionable dance moves, people are quicker to let their guards down and enjoy themselves fully.—
Nikita Khanna,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
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Their work consisted of a neuromorphic sensor that captured the actions of Braille readers.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While Robbie’s Cathy is spunky, stubborn, and independent, Elordi’s Heathcliff is brooding, desperate, and clingy.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
12 Feb. 2026
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The movie, released in May 1999, saw Fraser as treasure hunter who travels to Egypt in the 1920s with a spunky librarian, played by Weisz, only to accidentally awaken a supernaturally powerful high priest.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirited. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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