sprightly 1 of 2

sprightly

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sprightly contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sprightly are animated, gay, lively, and vivacious. While all these words mean "keenly alive and spirited," sprightly suggests lightness and spirited vigor of manner or wit.

a tuneful, sprightly musical

When might animated be a better fit than sprightly?

In some situations, the words animated and sprightly are roughly equivalent. However, animated applies to what is spirited and active.

an animated discussion of current events

When is it sensible to use gay instead of sprightly?

The meanings of gay and sprightly largely overlap; however, gay stresses complete freedom from care and overflowing spirits.

the gay spirit of Paris in the 1920s

Where would lively be a reasonable alternative to sprightly?

While the synonyms lively and sprightly are close in meaning, lively suggests briskness, alertness, or energy.

a lively debate on the issues

When is vivacious a more appropriate choice than sprightly?

Although the words vivacious and sprightly have much in common, vivacious suggests an activeness of gesture and wit, often playful or alluring.

a vivacious party host

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 sprightly
Adjective
In this sprightly sequel to the 2018 hit, Harrelson has a blast as a deranged killer who is transformed into the monstrous Carnage, a symbiote as powerful as Venom. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 14 July 2024 Through a melodic flow of political parlance and an impressive stable of sprightly actors, creator Debora Cahn stages a spirited play about political relationships — and relationship politics — that never feels stodgy or stupefying, despite an ungodly amount of dialogue. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024 It’s filled with colorful side characters, like the sprightly Pinky, whose zest for life has not been tempered by her own past tragedies. Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024 Eco does its best to up efficiency; Normal is set up to give sprightly performance without draining the battery; Sport gives sharper performance and turns the instruments red; and Snow is designed to keep the car in check when the white stuff falls. Alex Goy, WIRED, 14 Sep. 2023 See All Example Sentences for sprightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprightly
Adjective
  • Insects, much like their human counterparts, are more lively in the spring and summer when the weather is warmer.
    Simmone Shah, Time, 20 May 2025
  • The conversation was lively and funny, with the actress discussing her defining role in 1976’s Carrie and nearly missing out on Lynne Ramsay’s current Cannes title, Die, My Love.
    Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Host Jennifer Lopez opened the show with an energetic dance number to a medley that included a mashup of songs by Beyoncé, Eilish, Shaboozey, Chappell Roan and more.
    Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
  • Rod Stewart, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, closed out the evening with an energetic performance.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • The newcomer enrolled in tap classes, and trained fastidiously with associate choreographer Rachelle Rak, figuring out how an animated siren might walk and stand.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • This is her opportunity to step up into a more prominent role, and the quiet ONO is disappearing in favor of this, more animated and aggressive version.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • The barn jacket makes for a stylish layering piece, which is perfect to bring along for cool nights around the bonfire or brisk boat rides.
    Izzy Baskette, People.com, 23 May 2025
  • Mike Dunleavy Reveals Big Offseason Roster Goal Now, after a brisk five-game defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves (mostly without their best player, Stephen Curry, who went down in Game 1 with a hamstring strain), the Warriors face an uncertain offseason.
    Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Moreover, for active and retired military members, a 10% military discount is available year-round.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • Today, Meta employs 74,000 employees despite having 3.3 billion monthly active users.
    Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • Such seemingly minor biographical details are what animate L’Enchanteur, which was born in 2012 after Soull and Dynasty merged their independent labels—Alkhemi9 and BRZÉ, respectively.
    Thessaly La Force, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Users do have creative freedom — freedom to learn to draw, animate, write, score, or direct their own projects.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sprightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprightly. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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