1
: keenly alert : lively
… a brisk old lady with no nonsense about her …—
Jean Stafford
Jean Stafford2
a
: pleasingly tangy
brisk tea
b
: fresh, invigorating
a brisk autumn day
3
: sharp in tone or manner
was very brisk on the phone
briskly
adverb
briskness
noun
brisked; brisking; brisks
: to make animated, energetic, or marked by much activity : to make brisk
: to become brisk
—usually used with up
business brisked up
Examples of brisk in a Sentence
Adjective
She answered the phone in a brisk voice.
They went for a brisk walk in the woods.
She walked at a brisk pace.
Business is brisk at the store.
There is a brisk market in old movie posters.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
The political and religious cast of the crowd in Bloomington was signaled by the street vendors, who were doing brisk business offering red, white, and black make america great again hats, along with caps proclaiming jesus won and sweatshirts emblazoned with freedom and Kirk’s signature.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The half-day tour got festively rowdy, fueled by an onboard bar that saw brisk business before noon.
—María Cristina Lalonde, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
Windy conditions combined with single-digit wind chills will make outdoor celebrations brisk, so warm layers are essential for any fireworks watchers.
—Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brisk
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Adjective
Winter activities involve brisk outdoor walks, holiday travel, and cozy movie marathons.
—Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
The political and religious cast of the crowd in Bloomington was signaled by the street vendors, who were doing brisk business offering red, white, and black make america great again hats, along with caps proclaiming jesus won and sweatshirts emblazoned with freedom and Kirk’s signature.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The half-day tour got festively rowdy, fueled by an onboard bar that saw brisk business before noon.
—María Cristina Lalonde, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
Windy conditions combined with single-digit wind chills will make outdoor celebrations brisk, so warm layers are essential for any fireworks watchers.
—Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brisk
Cite this Entry
“Brisk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brisk. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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