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".
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
Siblings Dorem and Nika Prevc's jumps secured a gold medal for Slovenia and held off a spirited challenge from Norway.
—
Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
This boozy dessert is guaranteed to deliver a spirited holiday.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Maher has been hosting the loose and spirited one-on-one interview show for Tubi, in addition to his panel series for HBO, Real Time with Bill Maher.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
The cuddly canines and spirited mutts making up Team Fluff and Team Ruff will battle for the coveted Lombarky Trophy, while also playing up for the cameras in hopes of finding their forever home.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spirited
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Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
This boozy dessert is guaranteed to deliver a spirited holiday.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Maher has been hosting the loose and spirited one-on-one interview show for Tubi, in addition to his panel series for HBO, Real Time with Bill Maher.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
The cuddly canines and spirited mutts making up Team Fluff and Team Ruff will battle for the coveted Lombarky Trophy, while also playing up for the cameras in hopes of finding their forever home.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirited. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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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