1
as in pistols
a very energetic person
the babysitter will have her hands full with those two little live wires
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in powerhouses
an ambitious person who eagerly goes after what is desired
that new reporter on the police beat is a real live wire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of live wires
One of the brothers used a carbon-fibre pole while attempting to get the bird down and touched the live wires on the power line, killing him instantly.
—
Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for live wires
Noun
-
During raids in Czechia and Austria, police seized some weapons, such as knives, machetes, axes and gas pistols.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Gonzalez Nava was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on March 11, the same day a search of his New London residence turned up four firearms, including semi-automatic pistols and a shotgun, officials said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These small, oily fish are nutritional powerhouses loaded with omega-3s, vitamin D, and other nutrients.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
1 May 2026
-
McNulty notes that Broadway is still the place acting powerhouses like Adrien Brody, John Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf go in search of the kind of depthy material increasingly unavailable onscreen.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Live wires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/live%20wires. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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