spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ə-təd 
: full of energy, animation, or courage
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
spiritedness
noun
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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
Wonder took a brief break as his stellar backing group put a spirited spin on everything from Aretha Franklin to Carole King, with Wonder returning to the stage following a costume change.
—
Jim Ryan, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
As attendees gathered, the bright colors and lively ambiance mirrored the spirited essence of Mexican culture.
—Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
The spirited debate featured some bold assertions about the state of distribution — along with some even bolder predictions for the new paths filmmakers might forge for themselves.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024
Advertisement Judging from the torrent of polling divinations, spirited debate and reportage dedicated to the potential ballot choices of our sons, brothers, husbands and uncles, women’s voting trends must be stagnant or just simpler, right?
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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Jim Ryan, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
As attendees gathered, the bright colors and lively ambiance mirrored the spirited essence of Mexican culture.
—Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
The spirited debate featured some bold assertions about the state of distribution — along with some even bolder predictions for the new paths filmmakers might forge for themselves.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024
Advertisement Judging from the torrent of polling divinations, spirited debate and reportage dedicated to the potential ballot choices of our sons, brothers, husbands and uncles, women’s voting trends must be stagnant or just simpler, right?
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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 21 Nov. 2024.
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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