spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ə-təd 
: full of energy, animation, or courage
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
spiritedness
noun
Did you know?
You may see spirited used to describe a conversation, a debate, a horse, or a campaign. And it often shows up in such words as high-spirited ("bold and energetic"), mean-spirited ("spiteful"), and public-spirited ("generous to a community"), all of which reflect the original meaning of spirit, a notion much like "soul" or "personality".
Synonyms
Examples of spirited in a Sentence
The team put up a spirited defense.
She's a very spirited young lady.
Recent Examples on the Web
Twelve minutes before tipoff, Gottlieb finishes his spirited pregame speech by declaring the Phoenix to be the hungriest team in America, then walks into a spartan coaches’ locker room.
—
Brian Hamilton, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
The spirited schnauzer bested six other finalists to become the first of his breed tapped as Westminster’s best in show, the most prestigious prize in the U.S. dog show world.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
Pretty Woman This Cinderella-esque story starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere tells the tale of an unexpected romance between a businessman and a spirited escort.
—Jené Luciani Sena, Fox News, 12 Feb. 2025
Those hometown supporters turned out to include not only the spirited crowds flocking to Barclays Center for games, but local hip-hop legends like Fat Joe, Ja Rule and Jadakiss.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 12 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for spirited 
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Brian Hamilton, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
The spirited schnauzer bested six other finalists to become the first of his breed tapped as Westminster’s best in show, the most prestigious prize in the U.S. dog show world.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
Pretty Woman This Cinderella-esque story starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere tells the tale of an unexpected romance between a businessman and a spirited escort.
—Jené Luciani Sena, Fox News, 12 Feb. 2025
Those hometown supporters turned out to include not only the spirited crowds flocking to Barclays Center for games, but local hip-hop legends like Fat Joe, Ja Rule and Jadakiss.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 12 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for spirited
Dictionary Entries Near spirited
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirited. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ət-əd
: full of courage or energy
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
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