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".
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
From jazz ensembles to pop bands and summer open-air shows spilling onto the streets, these spirited venues amp up the city’s nightlife and create an electric atmosphere for locals and visitors.
—
Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025
Viola Davis stars as General Nanisca, the group's leader who mentors a spirited new arrival, Nawi (Thuso Mbedu).
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
The timing of putting up a Christmas tree has long been the subject of spirited holiday debate, and everyone's family has their own unique tradition.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
And anyone who cares about USC football, or Notre Dame football, or college football at all – or history and tradition and the benefits of a spirited rivalry, or the simple concept of competition, for goodness’ sake – should be equally mad as hell.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
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.
Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025
Viola Davis stars as General Nanisca, the group's leader who mentors a spirited new arrival, Nawi (Thuso Mbedu).
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
The timing of putting up a Christmas tree has long been the subject of spirited holiday debate, and everyone's family has their own unique tradition.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
And anyone who cares about USC football, or Notre Dame football, or college football at all – or history and tradition and the benefits of a spirited rivalry, or the simple concept of competition, for goodness’ sake – should be equally mad as hell.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirited. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ət-əd
: full of courage or energy
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share