as in fiery
marked by a lively display of strong feeling
a spunky determination to make the best of a bad situation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spunky
Henry remembers Heather's mom as spunky and funny.
—
Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Dec. 2025
Surprisingly, the spunky wannabe warrior becomes the most consequential character in the third and possibly final movie of the blockbuster sci-fi franchise, whose previous two installments netted roughly $5 billion worldwide.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
One More Time saw a fusion of the rock legends’ classic sound and Harrison’s spunky spirit.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2025
Pixie One extreme begets another, so while some may opt for waist-length hair, others might find something just as magical in a spunky, textured crop.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunky
Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Dec. 2025
Surprisingly, the spunky wannabe warrior becomes the most consequential character in the third and possibly final movie of the blockbuster sci-fi franchise, whose previous two installments netted roughly $5 billion worldwide.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
One More Time saw a fusion of the rock legends’ classic sound and Harrison’s spunky spirit.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2025
Pixie One extreme begets another, so while some may opt for waist-length hair, others might find something just as magical in a spunky, textured crop.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spunky
Adjective
-
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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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
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This boozy dessert is guaranteed to deliver a spirited holiday.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But the Seahawks and their passionate fans will take it; this title represents Seattle's second Super Bowl triumph and exacts a measure of revenge for the heart-wrenching, last-second defeat in Super Bowl 49.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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Adler was a particularly passionate crusader against the scourge of child labor.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Intoxicating tuberose is enhanced by dark, peppery vanilla, suede, and alluring tonka bean.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
3 Feb. 2026
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Chenjeh, lamb bathed in a peppery marinade with the merest suggestion of saffron, is my favorite kebab, the one that yields to a fork but hits as boldest in flavor.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Moderate-intensity—your effort feels like a 4 to 6 on a scale of 1 to 10—cardio can include low-impact aerobic workouts like brisk walking, light cycling, elliptical use, swimming, water aerobics, hiking, rowing, and stair climbing.—
Cheyenne Buckingham,
SELF,
6 Feb. 2026
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About a dozen tots strapped up in their floor length aprons, eager to get messy in the garden, on a brisk winter Texas morning.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spunky. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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