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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spunky
The other central characters fare better, especially Gotay’s moving Homer and Miller’s spunky scribe, but also McAlpine and Mark Kudisch as Floyd’s dad.
—
Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
Hummingbirds are a fan favorite of avid bird watchers due to their spunky personalities and impressive flying tricks (flying upside-down and backward!).
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Apr. 2025
Trawling through the bowels of the luxury resort, the prez has some allies with her (Manny, the Chinese First Lady, the spunky head of the International Monetary Fund) and some duds (Douglas Hodge as the British Prime Minister, cast here as a moron with some wonderful comic relief).
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, the rebellious young Jim Hopper, the son of the town police chief, can’t seem to do anything right; the spunky Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and leave town, stat (but still has a thing for bad boys); and the tech nerd Bob is hopelessly in love with her.
—Sarah Bahr, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunky
Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
Hummingbirds are a fan favorite of avid bird watchers due to their spunky personalities and impressive flying tricks (flying upside-down and backward!).
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Apr. 2025
Trawling through the bowels of the luxury resort, the prez has some allies with her (Manny, the Chinese First Lady, the spunky head of the International Monetary Fund) and some duds (Douglas Hodge as the British Prime Minister, cast here as a moron with some wonderful comic relief).
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, the rebellious young Jim Hopper, the son of the town police chief, can’t seem to do anything right; the spunky Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and leave town, stat (but still has a thing for bad boys); and the tech nerd Bob is hopelessly in love with her.
—Sarah Bahr, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spunky
Adjective
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Ethan just held onto a plane in mid-air, beat the bad guy, and defeated a god-like artificial intelligence averting the fiery nuclear death of all humanity.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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Adding a salt rim elevates your glass, but for a spicy kick, use Halo Del Santo, a cocktail garnish made with salt, fiery chiles and a touch of citrus.—
Jeanette Hurt,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Whether American retirees have enough savings and benefits to live comfortably in retirement is, however, a matter of spirited debate.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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Following a series of spirited performances in the finale, the votes were counted, and Fradiani was declared the winner.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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It’s been possible, but hard to find Fettercairn from independent bottlers in the United States, and those who seek it out are passionate about it, Boice said.—
Gina Pace,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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Gabriella is a cousin of King Charles through her father Prince Michael's side of the family and a passionate musician who played an advisory role around the musical performances for Kate's Together at Christmas carol service in December at Westminster Abbey.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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With a balsamic glaze, a little parm, and peppery arugula, this meal is light and fresh while maintaining top-tier flavor.—
Erin Hooker,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Feb. 2025
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The result is a harmonious interplay of flavors, where hints of caramel and vanilla intertwine with peppery rye and a subtle malty backbone, all culminating in a smooth, 100-proof finish.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Spunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spunky. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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