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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vivacious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vivacious are animated, gay, lively, and sprightly. While all these words mean "keenly alive and spirited," vivacious suggests an activeness of gesture and wit, often playful or alluring.

a vivacious party host

When is animated a more appropriate choice than vivacious?

Although the words animated and vivacious have much in common, animated applies to what is spirited and active.

an animated discussion of current events

Where would gay be a reasonable alternative to vivacious?

The words gay and vivacious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gay stresses complete freedom from care and overflowing spirits.

the gay spirit of Paris in the 1920s

When is it sensible to use lively instead of vivacious?

While in some cases nearly identical to vivacious, lively suggests briskness, alertness, or energy.

a lively debate on the issues

When could sprightly be used to replace vivacious?

The synonyms sprightly and vivacious are sometimes interchangeable, but sprightly suggests lightness and spirited vigor of manner or wit.

a tuneful, sprightly musical

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 vivacious The restaurant remains open, run by Un’s talented kitchen team, with Un, Chaparro, and Mama Kim dropping in occasionally; the food remains sharp and bright and deep and exhilarating, the mood vivacious and young and loud and polychromatic. Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025 Maria is a wonderfully textured character, at turns flinty and cold and vivacious and funny, and Maura is adept at embodying all sides to this woman. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2025 Over the years the vivacious Brit has has empowered countless women around the world and gained a fiercely loyal following. Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 4 Sep. 2025 Venus in Leo is vivacious and charismatic, particularly in the realm of relationships, finances and one’s personal aesthetic. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vivacious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vivacious
Adjective
  • The 16-track project finds Soulja experimenting with fresh sounds — from that West Coast bass to more energetic beats — all while staying true to the essence that built his legacy.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • For however long Warner is out, the 49ers will lose not only a Defensive Player of the Year candidate but also the most vocal and most energetic player in the locker room.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • To Chinara, the gesture resonates, sometimes in joyful tears, as Kevin always having his brother on the journey with him.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Beginning Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday, joyful relatives of hostages and their supporters spilled into Tel Aviv’s central square, which has become the main gathering point in the effort to free the captives.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • With eight children in total, the Baldwin family blends Hollywood legacy with a lively, modern-day parenting journey.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
  • The wave of debuts was of course the conversation of the week, bringing a sense of buzz and freshness that made Paris feel lively and full of energy.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Cascale’s annual meeting kicked off in Hong Kong last month with an exuberant drum performance and a slight but significant disagreement that mirrored broader tensions rippling across the global apparel industry.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Fresh off a high-voltage, high-purpose runway—exuberant silhouettes and jolts of color lighting up Paris—Stella McCartney invited Vogue100 for a lunch dînatoire offering a closer look at her groundbreaking Summer 2026 collection and a post-show chat with the designer herself.
    Sasha Pinto, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The tour news was first shared with select media and fans at a top-secret private event Sunday night at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland that included a viewing of Rush’s induction speeches and performance and ended with a loose, animated interview with Lee and Lifeson.
    Annie Zaleski, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The director and father of two made that concern a driving principle of his new film, Scarlet, a fantastical animated adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet that opens at New York Film Festival next week.
    Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • That speaks to her irresistibly effervescent performance — that laugh — and the chemistry between her and Gere.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Over lunch in Williamsburg, María Zardoya—namesake and lead vocalist for the indie-pop band the Marías—is every bit as warm and effervescent as her music.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Johnson, who spent the past year-plus on Miami’s practice squad, will give the Dolphins a fifth available cornerback if Storm Duck isn’t active.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • The Phillips 66 refinery will start shutting down this month and end active fuel production at the end of 2025, the company said.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Released in 2017, Riverdale sought to put a darker spin on the typically bubbly world of Archie Comics.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The curiosity seems to be the blend of his height (7 feet 2), his age (20), his nationality (Chinese) and his bubbly personality.
    Jason Quick, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vivacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vivacious. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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